est for you.
I watched over him for some days, and I confess that my grief allowed
the promises he had made to escape my memory. Alas! He has been taken
from me, while I myself have barely escaped with life; and only now am I
sufficiently recovered to write. Fearing that you will receive very
uncourteous treatment from my countrymen, and that you may be even
suffering from want of food, I have sent you some provisions by our
faithful servant Pierre, as also a purse, which, I trust, you will
accept from one who, though in affliction, is grateful for the kindness
she has received from your friends."

Mr Collinson felt that he had no right to refuse the gift which the
young lady had so liberally sent. When Jack Windy heard of it, he
exclaimed--

"They're all alike! Never mind whether they're French, or Dons, or
blackamoors, there's a tender place in most women's hearts, unless
they're downright bad, and then stand clear of them, I say, for they're
worse than us men."

The next time Mammy Otello appeared, Mr Collinson placed a gold piece
in her hand.

"Here, madame," he said; "I beg that you will accept this as a mark of
how sensible we are of your kindness; and I beg to assure you, that, if
you can give us better accommodation, we will gladly pay for it."

Mammy Otello's countenance beamed, her mouth grew considerably wider,
and her eyes sparkled, partly at the sight of the money, and partly at
the lieutenant's polite speech. Putting the coin into her pocket, she
hastened away. In a short time she returned.

"Our family is a small one," she said; "and as the authorities here do
not object, my good man and I have arranged to give you two rooms in our
house, while you shall take your meals in our public room."

Mr Collinson's great difficulty was to find paper and pen to write a
suitable reply to Mademoiselle Mouret. His own pocket-book had been
destroyed. Not a particle of paper could he find in the place, not even
the fly-leaf of a book. The other two officers had no paper of any
sort. He was able, therefore, only to return a verbal answer to the
young lady.

"I told you so," said Bill, when these satisfactory arrangements had
been made, "that things would improve with us, and so they have."

"Yes; but we've not had yellow Jack among us yet; and depend upon it he
will be coming before long," answered old Grim.

The good fortune of the Lillys, as the other prisoners called Mr
Collinson and his follow