men and before we could say
a word we found ourselves handcuffed. Well to make a long story short we
were tried and I was sentenced to 10 years penal servitude, and Palsey
who had done the most part of the crime had penal servitude for life.
Well after three years of my time had passed, I was granted a free
pardon for saving the life of someone. I have no time to tell the whole
story now. At first I was delighted at the mere thought of being free
again, but then I recollected I had no friends nobody to care wether I
lived or died. When I was set free I wandered about trying in vain to
find you Helen. But I got no news of you, untill one day I read of your
marriage in the paper. Then I gave up all hope of ever seeing you again.
Soon after I fell ill and spent many weeks in an old barn, attended only
by a child who used to go messages for me etc: till I was well enough to
walk about again. Then my wanderings began again, and I found them
harder than ever. After my severe illness I could no longer bear
sleeping out. I had to buy lodgings wherever I happened to be, and once
or twice when I had no money I had to sleep out in the fields. That did
for me Helen. From that day I grew much worse. A young man took pity on
me one night and gave me a room in his house for nothing. But with his
exception no one cared and so I wandered on untill late one night I
arrived at this miserable inn. I did'nt know where I was, but I thought
it safe to take another name. So I was brought up here, where I should
certainly have died had not some one down in the bar mentioned your
name, and then the excitement of seeing you kept me up----

Here Cyril stopped gasping for breath and Helen with her tears fast
falling administered water to him and propped up his pillows.

"Helen" cried Cyril at last, he could barely talk now, "do you forgive
me?"

"Oh Cyril" cried Helen "of course I do; oh if only you had come to me
before, how happily this might have ended. I forgive you fully from the
bottom of my heart."

Cyril smiled, he was too far gone to talk and Helen could see his eyes
growing brighter.

A long silence followed while Cyril's breathing grew laboured and slow.
Presently with a great effort he turned and caught Helen's hand in his
own. "Helen I'm going fast. Goodbye I die happy since you forgive me."
And Helen stooped and kissed him. He turned and looked at her for the
last time and then his spirit passed quietly and peacefully away.