and row of pillars and high
flight of steps, and which to the eye of any intelligent mortal had
"Court House" written on its very face. Miss Grey went on and passed its
front entrance, then turning down a narrow street, of which the building
itself formed one side, she came to a little open door, went in, ran
lightly up a flight of stone steps, and found herself in dun and dimly
lighted corridors of stone.

A ray or two of the evening light still flickered through the small
windows of the roof. But for this all would seemingly have been dark.
Minola's footfall echoed through the passages. The place appeared
ghostly and sad, and the presence of youth, grace, and energetic
womanhood was strangely out of keeping with all around. The whole
expression and manner of Miss Grey brightened, however, as she passed
along these gaunt and echoing corridors. In the sunlight of the park
there seemed something melancholy in the face of the girl which was not
in accord with her years, her figure, and her deep, soft eyes. Now, in
this dismal old passage of damp resounding stone, she seemed so joyous
that her passing along might have been that of another Pippa. The place
was not very unlike a prison, and an observer might have been pleased to
think that, as the light step of the girl passed the door of each cell,
and the flutter of her garments was faintly heard, some little gleam of
hope, some gentle memory, some breath of forgotten woods and fields,
some softening inspiration of human love, was borne in to every
imprisoned heart. But this was no prison; only the courthouse where
prisoners were tried; and its rooms, occupied in the day by judges,
lawyers, policemen, public, suitors, and culprits, were now locked,
empty, and silent.

Minola went on, singing to herself as she went, her song growing louder
and bolder until at last it thrilled finely up to the stone roofs of the
grim halls and corridors. For Minola was of that temperament to which
resolve of any kind soon brings the excitement of high spirits, and she
sang now out of sheer courage and purpose.

Presently she stopped at a low, dark, oaken door which looked as if it
might admit to some dingy lumber-room or closet; and this door opened
instantly and she was in presence of a pretty and cheerful little
picture. The side of the building where the room was set looked upon the
broadest and clearest space in the town, and through the open window
could be seen distinctly the glass