give him stimulants, which will set the machine agoing.
You have been afraid of fever, and have kept him too low. I will answer
for it that in a few days he will be ready to perform his war-dance and
flourish his scalping-knife with as much energy as ever."

Norah, who heard this remark, assured the doctor that she believed his
patient had become perfectly civilised, mild, and gentle.

"Oh yes, while he is in this house and in your presence, young lady; but
let him get back to his old haunts among his savage companions, and he
will cut throats with as much zest as ever," replied the doctor.

At the supper-table my father inquired what news the doctor brought from
Bogota.

"Judging from the cruelties inflicted on their prisoners, the Spaniards
know that they are losing ground," he answered. "It is bad enough when
they shoot men taken in arms; but the day before I left I witnessed a
sight which made my blood boil with indignation--and I am not apt to
feel such sensations, I assure you. A young lady, it appears, residing
in the city, was accused of favouring the patriot cause, and of giving
information to its leaders--of being a spy, in fact. A letter she had
written to Bolivar was stopped, and the bearer confessed that it had
been intrusted to him to deliver, by her. She was immediately arrested
and brought before the judge. She was young and beautiful--very
beautiful indeed, I assure you--and I should have thought that her
appearance alone would have softened the heart of the greatest tyrant.
I expected to hear her plead her innocence with tears in her eyes,
imploring for mercy; but instead, she stood calm and unmoved, and boldly
acknowledged herself a patriot, and ready to die, if required, so that
she might know her beloved country would gain its freedom. Not one
among those collected at the trial dared to utter a word in her favour:
she was condemned to die, and was forthwith led out to undergo the
sentence just pronounced. She bowed her head proudly, not a limb
trembling, not a tear dropping from her eye. It was granted her, as a
favour, that she should be shot, on account of her rank and the high
estimation in which she was held. A priest was sent for; but she
refused his services, observing that she had counted the cost, and had
made full preparation for the fate which awaited her should she be
discovered--her only regret being that she could no longer serve the
cause in which she gloried. `Do you le