9.”It is hard to die at the best，Captain Wharton；but to spend your last moments alone and unpitied，to know that none near you so much as think of the fate that is to you the closing of all that is earthly；to think that in a few hours you are to be led from the gloom，which，as you dwell on what follows，becomes dear to you，to the face of day，and there to meet all eyes upon you，as if you were a wild beast；and to lose sight of every thing amid the jeers and scoffs of your fellow creatures；that，Captain Wharton，that indeed is to die.“
10.Herry listened in amazement，as his companion uttered this speech with a vehemence altogether new to him；both seemed to have forgotten their danger and their disguises，as he cried，“What！were you ever so near death as that？”“Have I not been the hunted beast of these hills for three years past？”resumed Harvey；“and once they even led me to the foot of the gallows itself，and I escaped only by an alarm from the royal troops.Had they been a quarter of an hour later，I must have died.There was I placed，in the midst of unfeeling men，and gaping women and children，as a monster to be cursed.When I would pray to God，my ears were insulted with the history of my crimes；and when，in all that multitude，I looked around for a single face that showed me any pity，I could find none，no，not even one；all cursed me as a wretch who would sell his country for gold.
11.”The sun was brighter to my eyes than common，but then it was the last time I should see it.The fields were gay and pleasant，and every thing seemed as if this world was a kind of heaven.Oh！how sweet life was to me at that moment！’Twas a dreadful hour，CaptainWharton，and such as you have never known.You have friends to feel for you；but I had none but a father to mourn my loss when he might hear of it；there was no pity，no consolation near to soothe my anguish.Every thing seemed to have deserted me ；I even thought that He had forgotten that I lived.“
12.“What！did you feel that God had forsaken you，Harvey？”cried the youth，with strong sympathy.“God never forsakes his servants，”returned Birch，with reverence，and exhibiting naturally a devotion that hitherto he had only assumed.“And who did you mean by He？”The pedler raised himself in his saddle to the stiff and upright posture that was suited to the outward appearance.The look of fire that，for a short time，glowed upon his countenance，disappeared in the solemn lines of unbending self-abasement，and，speaking as if addressing a negro，he replied，“In heaven there is no distinction of color，my brother；therefore you have a precious charge within you，that you must hereafter render an account of，”dropping his voice；“this is the last sentinel near the road；look not back，as you value your life.”
13.Henry remembered his situation，and instantly assumed the humble demeanor of his adopted character.The unaccountable energy of the pedler‘s manner was soon forgotten in the sense of his own immediate danger；and with the recollection of his critical situation returned all the uneasiness that he had momentarily forgotten.“What see you，Harvey？”he cried，observing the pedler to gaze toward the building they had left，with ominous interest；“What see you at the house？”“That which bodes no good to us，”returned the pretended priest.“Throw aside the mask and wig；you will need all your senses without much delay；throw them in the road：there are none before us that I dread，but there are those behind us who will give us a fearful race.”
14.“Nay，then，”cried the captain，casting the implements of his disguise into the highway，“let us improve our time to the utmost；wewant a full quarter to the turn；why not push for it at once？”“Be cool，they are in alarm，but they will not mount without an officer，unless they see us fly；now he comes；he moves to the stables；trot briskly；a dozen are in their saddles，but the officer stops to tighten his girths；they hope to steal a march upon us；he is mounted；now ride，Captain Wharton，for your life，and keep at my heels.If you quit me you will be lost.”
15.A second request was unnecessary.The instant that Harvey put his horse to his speed，Captain Wharton was at his heels，urging the miserable animal that he rode to the utmost.Birch had selected the beast on which he rode，and，although vastly inferior to the high-fed and blooded chargers of the dragoons，still it was much superior to the little pony that had been thought good enough to carry C？sar Thompson on an errand.A very few jumps convinced the captain that his companion was fast leaving him，and a fearful glance that he threw behind informed the fugitive tat his enemies were as speedily approaching.With that abandonment that makes misery doubly grievous when it is to be supported alone，Henry called aloud to the pedler not to desert him.Harvey instantly drew up，and suffered his companion to run alongside of his own horse.The cocked hat and wig of the pedler fell from his head the moment that his steed began to move briskly，and this development of their disguise，as it might be termed，was witnessed by the dragoons，who announced their observation by a boisterous shout，that seemed to be uttered in the very ears of the fugitives，so loud was the cry，and so short the distance between them.