face, save for the shameful red sign on her cheeks, was very white. I
stood quite still--not so, she. She walked stiffly by, till on the very
line with me she shot out one swift, sidelong glance and slightly shook
her head; yet as she passed I clearly heard that grievous sound that
coming from a woman's throat tells of a swallowed sob.

Still I stood watching her as she moved away, regardless quite of watery
pool or deepest mud; she marched straight on and at the first corner
disappeared, but never turned her head. As she had left me first without
good-by, so she met me now without a greeting, and passed me by without
farewell. And I, who knew her, understood at last the reason why. Poor
wounded, loyal heart, who would deny herself a longed-for pleasure
rather than put the tiniest touch of shame upon so small a person as a
ballet girl whom one year ago she had so lovingly called friend.

At last I turned to go. As I came to the window into which Semantha had
so lovingly been gazing, I looked in too, and saw a window full of fine,
thick underwear for men.

Two crowded, busy years swept swiftly by before I heard once more, and
for the last time, of poor Semantha. I was again in Columbus for a short
time, and was boarding at the home of one of the prison wardens.
Whenever I could catch this man at home, I took pains to make him talk,
and he told me many interesting tales. They were scarcely of a nature to
be repeated to young children after they had gone to bed, that is, if
you wanted the children to stay in bed; but they were interesting, and
one day the talk was of odd names,--his own was funny,--and at last he
mentioned Semantha's. Of course I was alert, of course I questioned
him--how often I have wished I had not. For the tale he told was sad.
Nothing new, nay, it was common even; but so is "battle, murder, and
sudden death," from which, nevertheless, we pray each day to be
delivered. Ah! his tale was sad if common.

It seemed that when Semantha followed that treacherous young brute, her
convicted lover, she had at first obtained a situation as a servant, so
she could not come to the prison every visiting day, and what was worse
in his eyes, she was most poorly paid, and had but very small sums to
spend upon extras for him. He grumbled loudly, and she was torn with
loving pity. Then quite suddenly she was stricken down with sickness,
and her precious brute had to do without her visits for a time and the
small comf