d been thinking,
as always these days, of what he would do when he did get out.

"What is this," he asked--"a political delegation?" He suspected
something on the instant. All four smiled cheeringly, and Bonhag
unlocked the door for the warden.

"Nothing very much, Frank," replied Stager, gleefully, "only you're
a free man. You can gather up your traps and come right along, if you
wish."

Cowperwood surveyed his friends with a level gaze. He had not expected
this so soon after what had been told him. He was not one to be very
much interested in the practical joke or the surprise, but this pleased
him--the sudden realization that he was free. Still, he had anticipated
it so long that the charm of it had been discounted to a certain extent.
He had been unhappy here, and he had not. The shame and humiliation of
it, to begin with, had been much. Latterly, as he had become inured to
it all, the sense of narrowness and humiliation had worn off. Only the
consciousness of incarceration and delay irked him. Barring his intense
desire for certain things--success and vindication, principally--he
found that he could live in his narrow cell and be fairly comfortable.
He had long since become used to the limy smell (used to defeat a
more sickening one), and to the numerous rats which he quite regularly
trapped. He had learned to take an interest in chair-caning, having
become so proficient that he could seat twenty in a day if he chose,
and in working in the little garden in spring, summer, and fall. Every
evening he had studied the sky from his narrow yard, which resulted
curiously in the gift in later years of a great reflecting telescope
to a famous university. He had not looked upon himself as an ordinary
prisoner, by any means--had not felt himself to be sufficiently punished
if a real crime had been involved. From Bonhag he had learned the
history of many criminals here incarcerated, from murderers up and down,
and many had been pointed out to him from time to time. He had been
escorted into the general yard by Bonhag, had seen the general food of
the place being prepared, had heard of Stener's modified life here, and
so forth. It had finally struck him that it was not so bad, only that
the delay to an individual like himself was wasteful. He could do so
much now if he were out and did not have to fight court proceedings.
Courts and jails! He shook his head when he thought of the waste
involved in them.

"That's all right,