on earth a foretaste of
the joys of heaven, I felt it that day in the condemned cell, loaded
with irons. We had taken farewell of each other, in the full assurance
of soon meeting where there is no sorrow or shame. The bitterness of
death was past. My thoughts were no longer of this world.

"The Monday passed on. There was but one whole day more for me on the
earth. Wednesday was to be my last. On the morning of Tuesday, as soon
as the jail was opened, my brother, who had always thought hardly of me,
and visited me only twice, rushed into my cell, and, weeping, fell upon
my bosom. After a few minutes, he sobbed--

"'My brother! Simon, my brother! can you forgive me for thinking so
hardly of you?'

"'My brother,' I replied, 'I have ever thought of you in grief and pity,
never in anger. My heart blesses you for this kindness.'

"'You are innocent, my own Simon! You are cleared of this crime. All is
made manifest. The worthy minister is at present with the provost, who
will write to the sheriff to delay the fatal day, until your pardon
come.'

"I heard no more: a faintness came over me; my heart ceased to beat, and
all consciousness left me for some time. When I recovered, we fell upon
our knees, and poured out our souls in thanksgivings. At that time I
dedicated the whole remainder of my days to the service of that merciful
God who had made clear my innocence, and spared my parents and friends
from shame.

"When we had become composed, I learned from him the wonderful manner in
which my innocence had been discovered, and the guilty punished by the
hand of the sufferer's own brother. She had resided in the parish of
Caerlaverock, with a brother, a widower, as his housekeeper, for some
years; and it had been understood that she was soon to marry a young
man, a stranger, who had come some years before into the parish. He was
on intimate terms with her brother; but her other friends did not
approve of the connection, as his character was none of the best. Her
brother was of a thoughtless, jovial disposition, and saw no harm in
him, for he was an excellent boon-companion, and they were thus
inseparable on all occasions of festivity. On the Saturday afternoon
before the day appointed for my execution, they had gone out with their
guns to shoot for amusement. Both had been drinking pretty hard; and it
was observed that the stranger had for some time almost entirely given
himself up to intoxication, especially since the d