A vast crowd was already collected before the gaol, and were watching the ominous preparations for to-morrow.
The new act for carrying out the last dread penalty of the law within the precincts of the gaol had not as yet passed, and the public were permitted to see the last throes of the doomed. Now, even the representatives of the press are denied that privilege.
There were lanterns placed at intervals of several yards down the whole length of the street. Dark shadows might be seen flitting round these lights.
The harsh sound of iron striking stone rose in the air.
They were digging holes in the ground with picks and iron crowbars.
At the end of the street, at the farther extremity of the prison, there was a yard surrounded with iron spikes.
The door of this yard was open, lights trembled in its mysterious depths.
A group of men and women stood near it; a policeman was stationed at each side of the door.
Occasionally men carrying large iron bars and wooden posts passed out. These, planted in the ground, were formed into a barrier that the mob might be kept at a certain distance from the scene of execution.
Gradually the group in front of the yard increased into a crowd.
As at every quarter of an hour the church bell gave forth its solemn notes they clung closer together, and peered over each other’s shoulders into that black space from which indefinite sounds were raised and which was guarded so vigilantly by its two sentinels.
They heard the noise of wheels and cried joyfully――
But they became silent as, drawn by three horses, a strange vehicle passed them.
It was a large square cart of enormous size, upon four low, broad wheels. It was painted black.
It passed slowly up the street, and halted before a small door which opened from the prison into the street.
From the interior of the prison sprang three men in their short sleeves. They dragged with them a huge pole, and erected it towards heaven.
A low murmur ran through the crowd. This was a portion of the gallows.
How strange and absorbing is the interest of every class in all that pertains to death!
Many of those assembled round Broxwill Gaol, remained there all night. These were, of course, the “roughs.”
But it must not be for a moment supposed that the interest was confined to them.