'

'It must be something remarkable that made Norman portly. But as for
the shovel hat, Mrs. Meta has insisted on having it sent out. I was
going to tell you that she says, "I do like such a good tough bit of
stitchery, to fit my knight out for the cause."'

'Marriage and distance have not frozen up her effusions.'

'No; when people carry souls in their pens, they are worth a great deal
more, if they are to go to a distance.'

Ah! by the bye, I suppose Cheviot has put a fresh lock on Mary's
writing-case.'

'I suspect some of Mary's correspondence will devolve on me. Harry has
asked me already.'

'I wished you had mentioned more about the letters of late. Leonard
wanted to know more than I could tell him.'

'You don't mean that you have seen him? O, Tom, how kind of you! Papa
has been trying hard to get a day now that these first six months are
up; but there are two or three cases that wanted so much watching that
he has not been able to stir.'

'I know how he lets himself be made a prisoner, and that it was a
chance whether any one saw the poor fellow at all.'

'I am so glad'--and Ethel turned on him a face still flushed, but now
with gratitude. 'How was he looking?'

'The costume is not becoming, and he has lost colour and grown
hollow-eyed; but I saw no reason for being uneasy about him; he looked
clear and in health, and has not got to slouch yet. It is shocking to
see such a grand face and head behind a grating.'

'Could he talk'?

'Why, the presence of a warder is against conversation, and six months
of shoe-making in a cell does not give much range of ideas. There was
nothing to be done but to talk on right ahead and judge by his eyes if
he liked it.'

'I suppose you could find out nothing about himself?'

'He said he got on very well; but one does not know that means. I
asked if he got books; and he said there was a very good library, and
he could get what gave him something to think of; and he says they give
interesting lectures in school.'

'You could not gather what is thought of him?'

'No; I saw but a couple of officers of the place, and could only get
out of them "good health and good conduct." I do not expect even his
conduct makes much impression as to his innocence, for I saw it stated
the other day that the worst prisoners are those that are always
getting convicted for petty offences; those that have committed one
great crime are not so depraved, and are much more amenable