was Thomas Kuby, pointing to
one of the tubs.

Cowperwood realized that this was the beginning of petty official
supervision; but he deemed it wise to appear friendly even here.

"I see," he said. "I will."

"That's right," replied the attendant, somewhat placated. "What did you
bring?"

Cowperwood looked at him quizzically. He did not understand. The prison
attendant realized that this man did not know the lingo of the place.
"What did you bring?" he repeated. "How many years did you get?"

"Oh!" exclaimed Cowperwood, comprehendingly. "I understand. Four and
three months."

He decided to humor the man. It would probably be better so.

"What for?" inquired Kuby, familiarly.

Cowperwood's blood chilled slightly. "Larceny," he said.

"Yuh got off easy," commented Kuby. "I'm up for ten. A rube judge did
that to me."

Kuby had never heard of Cowperwood's crime. He would not have understood
its subtleties if he had. Cowperwood did not want to talk to this
man; he did not know how. He wished he would go away; but that was not
likely. He wanted to be put in his cell and let alone.

"That's too bad," he answered; and the convict realized clearly that
this man was really not one of them, or he would not have said anything
like that. Kuby went to the two hydrants opening into the bath-tub and
turned them on. Cowperwood had been undressing the while, and now stood
naked, but not ashamed, in front of this eighth-rate intelligence.

"Don't forget to wash your head, too," said Kuby, and went away.

Cowperwood stood there while the water ran, meditating on his fate. It
was strange how life had dealt with him of late--so severely. Unlike
most men in his position, he was not suffering from a consciousness
of evil. He did not think he was evil. As he saw it, he was merely
unfortunate. To think that he should be actually in this great, silent
penitentiary, a convict, waiting here beside this cheap iron bathtub,
not very sweet or hygienic to contemplate, with this crackbrained
criminal to watch over him!

He stepped into the tub and washed himself briskly with the biting
yellow soap, drying himself on one of the rough, only partially bleached
towels. He looked for his underwear, but there was none. At this point
the attendant looked in again. "Out here," he said, inconsiderately.

Cowperwood followed, naked. He was led through the receiving overseer's
office into a room, where were scales, implements of measurement, a
r