sh, and nothing but our own
four arms between us."

The horrible expression of vengeance that lit up his savage face at
these words seemed to awe even the callous and stern nature of Barton
himself. All his efforts to seem calm and at ease were for the moment
unavailing, and he shrank from the proud and flashing eye of the felon,
as though he were the guilty one in the presence of his accuser.

Another stroke of the heavy bell rang out. The prisoner started, and
turning round his head, seemed to peer anxiously through the crowd
behind him, when his eyes fell upon the figure of a man apparently a
year or two younger than himself, and whose features, even in their
livid coloring, bore a striking resemblance to his own.

"Come, Patsey," cried he, "come along with us." Then turning to the
jailer, while his face assumed a smile, and his voice a tone of winning
softness, he asked, "It is my brother, sir; he is come up nigh eighty
miles to see me, and I hope you 'll let him come upon the drop."

There was something in the quiet earnestness of his manner in such a
moment that thrilled upon the heart more painfully than even the violent
outbreak of his passion; and when I saw the two brothers hand in hand,
march step by step along, and then disappear in the winding of the dark
stair, a sick, cold feeling came over me, and even the loud shout that
rent the air from the assembled thousands without scarce roused me
from my stupor.

"Come, sir," cried a man, who in the dress of an official had been for
some minutes carefully reading over the document of my committal, "after
me, if you please."

I followed him across the courtyard in the direction of a small building
which stood isolated and apart from the rest, when suddenly he stopped,
and carefully examining the paper in his hand, he said,--

"Wait a moment; I 'll join you presently."

With these words, he hurried back towards the gate, where Barton still'
stood with two or three others. What passed between them I could not
hear; but I could distinctly mark that Barton's manner was more
abrupt and imperious than ever, and that while the jailer--for such he
was--expressed his scruples of one kind or another, the major would not
hear him with patience, but turning his back upon him, called out loud
enough to be heard even where I stood,--

"I tell you I don't care, regular or irregular; if you refuse to take
him in charge, on your head be it. We have come to a pretty pass.