As for mutineer, all that Calhoun had fought for
had been at last admitted by the British Government, and reforms had been
made that were due to the mutiny at the Nore. Only the technical crime
had been done by Calhoun, and he had won pardon by his bravery in the
battle at sea. Yes, he was a man of mark, even though a murderer.
Calhoun spoke slowly. "Your honour, you have said what you have a right
to say to a man who killed Erris Boyne. But this man you accuse did not
do it." The governor smiled, for the assumption was ridiculous. He
shrugged a shoulder and a sardonic curl came to his lip.
"Who did it then?"
"If you will come to the house of the general commanding you will see."
The governor was in a great quandary. He gasped. "The general
commanding--did he kill Erris Boyne, then?"
"Not he, yet the person that did it is in this house. Listen, your
honour. I have borne the name of killing Erris Boyne, and I ought to
have killed him, for he was a traitor. I had proofs of it; but I did not
kill him, and I did not betray him, for he had alive a wife and daughter,
and something was due to them.
Pages:
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202