bless my soul!" suddenly ejaculated the old gentleman,
in great astonishment. "What do I see! My dearest, sweetest young
lady! Mr. Blanchard! Mr. Jennings! Mr. Williams--"

Caroline gazed at him a moment--uttered a shriek which thrilled to
every heart with an electric shock, cried, "Oh, sir, save me--_you_
can save me!" and fell insensible into the arms of Franklin.

"Policemen!--off with you!" cried Mr. Blake, with tears in his eyes.
"Mr. Jennings, you are a fool! I answer with my life for this young
lady. I ran against her in the street. I picked up the lace, and saw
her look of astonishment and horror; and heard her exclaim, '_ma'ma!
let us go back directly!_' Go, proclaim to every one in the
establishment that she is innocent. We are the guilty party--and we
are at _her_ mercy!"

To terminate the exciting scene, Franklin proposed to return home. A
carriage was called. Caroline had revived, and her feelings,
fortunately, found vent in tears. She wept bitterly on her mother's
bosom, who gave it back with interest. But in the midst of their joy,
not one of the three forgot to offer up their secret, thankful prayer,
to that overruling Providence, whose watchful mercy had rescued them
from a fate too horrible for imagination.

Franklin could scarcely wait till they walked to the carriage. He
wished to carry--to drag Caroline away. He shifted his position
continually, without apparent cause; at last shook hands with his
companions, saying he would follow the carriage, as he wanted air and
exercise.

They soon arrived home, where Caroline, in a high state of excitement,
was ordered to bed by a physician; but, after soothing medicines had
calmed certain hysterical symptoms, she fell into a deep sleep, which
the doctor said was worth more than all the apothecaries could
compound. In fact, she did not wake till late next morning, and in a
day or two was comparatively restored.

But poor Franklin had gone home in a raging fever, which increased
during the night to delirium. His ravings were of magistrates, the
jeering crowd, dungeons, chains, and the convict-ship. Then he was at
the penal settlement. He heard the frightful oaths, obscene jests, and
blasphemous laughter of the convicts. Among them he beheld Caroline
Clifford--haggard, and in rags--now toiling at her task, now shrieking
beneath the bloody lash--and he seemed to grasp the throat of
Jennings, and implored him to stay his hellish hand.

More than a month p