e a dog, and then hanged like a dog: shot
to-night, and hung to-morrow; hung at the bridgehead--hung, until your
bones drop asunder!'

It is impossible to describe the exultation with which he seemed to
dwell upon, and to particularise the fate which he intended for me.

I observed, however, that his face was deadly pale, and felt assured
that his conscience and inward convictions were struggling against his
cruel resolve. Without further comment the two officers left the room,
I suppose to oversee the preparations which were being made for the deed
of which I was to be the victim.

A chill, sick horror crept over me as they retired, and I felt, for the
moment, upon the brink of swooning. This feeling, however, speedily
gave place to a sensation still more terrible. A state of excitement so
intense and tremendous as to border upon literal madness, supervened; my
brain reeled and throbbed as if it would burst; thoughts the wildest
and the most hideous flashed through my mind with a spontaneous rapidity
that scared my very soul; while, all the time, I felt a strange and
frightful impulse to burst into uncontrolled laughter.

Gradually this fearful paroxysm passed away. I kneeled and prayed
fervently, and felt comforted and assured; but still I could not view
the slow approaches of certain death without an agitation little short
of agony.

I have stood in battle many a time when the chances of escape were
fearfully small. I have confronted foemen in the deadly breach. I have
marched, with a constant heart, against the cannon's mouth. Again and
again has the beast which I bestrode been shot under me; again and again
have I seen the comrades who walked beside me in an instant laid for
ever in the dust; again and again have I been in the thick of battle,
and of its mortal dangers, and never felt my heart shake, or a single
nerve tremble: but now, helpless, manacled, imprisoned, doomed, forced
to watch the approaches of an inevitable fate--to wait, silent and
moveless, while death as it were crept towards me, human nature was
taxed to the uttermost to bear the horrible situation.

I returned again to the closet in which I had found myself upon
recovering from the swoon.

The evening sunshine and twilight was fast melting into darkness, when
I heard the outer door, that which communicated with the guard-room in
which the officers had been amusing themselves, opened and locked again
upon the inside.

A measured step th