Are you ready?

VOICE

Ready.

CUNNINGHAM

Steady--now! [_noise of ladder, gasp, etc._] [_pause_] So let all
spies, rebels, and traitors swing! March the guard off!

VOICE

Guard--fall in! Quick step--[_etc._]

MONTRESSOR [_to himself_]

Poor fellow--and he's hardly more than a boy.

CUNNINGHAM

And now, Captain Montressor, I'll trouble you for those letters.

MONTRESSOR

Here they are, Marshal.

CUNNINGHAM

Ah--[_sound of tearing paper_]

MONTRESSOR

What are you doing, sir? Stop it! Don't tear those letters up!

CUNNINGHAM

I've already done it, Captain.

MONTRESSOR

What did you do that for? They were intrusted to me for delivery.

CUNNINGHAM

Well--they won't be delivered! The rebels shall never know they had a
man who could die with such firmness!

ANNOUNCER

The next day, however, Captain Montressor carried the news to the
American lines under a white flag and repeated to Hale's companions
those words--which have come down to us: "I only regret that I have but
one life to lose for my country!"

* * * * *

Transcriber's Note:

Page 28: Corrected both occurrences of CHICHERTER to CHICHESTER.

End of Project Gutenberg's The Story of Nathan Hale, by Henry Fisk Carlton

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