result, drew a long breath as though relieved from their fearful
suspense, even by having heard the worst. And Hansford was to die! He
heard with much emotion the sentence which doomed him to a traitor's
death the next day at noon; and those who were near, heard him sob, "My
poor, poor mother!" But almost instantly, with a violent effort he
controlled his feelings, and asked permission to speak.

"Surely," said the Governor, "provided your language be respectful to
the Court, and that you say nothing reflecting on his majesty's
government at home or in the Colony of Virginia."

"These are hard conditions," said Hansford, rising from his seat, "as
with such limitations, I can scarcely hope to justify my conduct. But I
accept your courtesy, even with these conditions. A dying man has at
last but little to say, and but little disposition to mingle again in
the affairs of a world which he must so soon leave. In the short, the
strangely short time allotted to me, I have higher and holier concerns
to interest me. Ere this hour to-morrow, I will have passed from the
scenes of earth to appear before a higher tribunal than yours, and to
answer for the forgotten sins of my past life. But I thank my God, that
while that awful tribunal is higher, it is also juster and more merciful
than yours. Even in this sad moment, however, I cannot forget the
country for which I have lived, and for which I must so soon die. I see
by your countenances that I am already transcending your narrow limits.
But it cannot be treason to pray for her, and as my life has been
devoted to her service, so will my prayers for her welfare ascend with
my petitions for forgiveness.

"I would say a word as to the offence with which I have been charged,
and the evidence on which I have been convicted. That evidence amounts
to the fact that I was in arms, by the authority of the Governor,
against the common enemies of my country. Is this treason? That I was
the bearer of a threatening message to the Governor from General Bacon,
which caused the first flight into Accomac. And here I would say," and
he fixed his eyes full on Alfred Bernard, as he spoke, who endeavoured
to conceal his feelings by a smile of scorn, "that the evidence on this
point has been cruelly, shamefully garbled and perverted. It was never
stated that, while as the minister of another, I bore the message
referred to, I urged the Governor to consider and retract the
proclamation which he had mad