was, however, the best I could hit upon,
and I directed my steps towards the Farnham orison. Sarah Purday had not
yet, I remembered, been removed to the county jail at Guilford.

"Is Sarah Purday," I asked the turnkey, "more reconciled to her position
than she was?"

"She's just the same--bitter as gall, and venomous as a viper."

This woman, I should state, was a person of fierce will and strong
passions, and in early life had been respectably situated.

"Just step into her cell," I continued, "upon some excuse or other, and
carelessly drop a hint that if she could prevail upon Jackson to get her
brought by _habeas_ before a judge in London, there could be no doubt
of her being bailed."

The man stared, but after a few words of pretended explanation, went off
to do as I requested. He was not long gone. "She's all in a twitteration
at the thoughts of it," he said; "and must have pen, ink, and paper
without a moment's delay, bless her consequence!"

These were supplied; and I was soon in possession of her letter, couched
cautiously, but more peremptorily than the former one. I need hardly say
it did not reach its destination. She passed the next day in a state of
feverish impatience; and no answer returning, wrote again, her words
this time conveying an evident though indistinct threat. I refrained
from visiting her till two days had thus passed, and found her, as I
expected, eaten up with fury. She glared at me as I entered the cell
like a chained tigress.

"You appear vexed," I said, "no doubt because Jackson declines to get
you bailed. He ought not to refuse you such a trifling service,
considering all things."

"All what things?" replied the woman, eyeing me fiercely.

"That you know best, though I have a shrewd guess."

"What do you guess? and what are you driving at?"

"I will deal frankly with you, Sarah Purday. In the first place, you
must plainly perceive that your _friend_ Jackson has cast you
off--abandoned you to your fate; and that fate will, there can be no
doubt, be transportation."

"Well," she impatiently snarled, "suppose so; what then?"

"This--that you can help yourself in this difficulty by helping me."

"As how?"

"In the first place, give me the means of convicting Jackson of having
received the stolen property."

"Ha! How do you know that?"

"Oh, I know it very well--as well almost as you do. But this is not my
chief object; there is another, far more important one," and I ran