e dismiss him with the belief that on the coming of that inevitable
_Hereafter_, he will receive the punishment he so well merits.

"My remarks are now concluded, and the prisoner is discharged from
custody."

There was deep silence for several minutes, during which Harry looked
anxiously in the crowd for his friend; but Alfred was nowhere to be
seen. Mrs. Wentworth retained her passive look of indifference, and
took no further notice of the curious crowd, which gazed upon her with
hearts full of pity and commiseration. Once or twice she slowly raised
her hand and pressed her forehead with it, as if it ached. But she
spoke no word of complaint, nor did she give any other indication of
suffering.

Harry was about to remove her from the court, when there was a bustle
in the crowd, and the voice of Alfred was heard calling on those
around him to give way. He was followed by Awtry, perfectly
unconscious of the cause of his companions agitation.

"Make room there, for God's sake," asked Alfred, pressing through the
dense mass of men and women. "Follow me," he continued, speaking to
Awtry.

The men nearest to him, perceiving his excitement, generally surmised
the truth, and a low murmur ran through the room that it was the
prisoner's husband, and a passage was quickly made to where Mrs.
Wentworth was sitting.

Awtry heard the words, "it is her husband," and turned back with the
intention of leaving, but his arm was quickly seized by Alfred, who,
still concealing his intention, simply said, "Come on; I will find a
passage for us." He hesitated an instant, but, believing his
appearance sufficiently disguised to prevent Mrs. Wentworth from
recognizing him, he determined to risk proceeding, in the hope of
escaping discovery.

At last Alfred was by the side of his wife--the soldier had met her he
loved for the first time in nearly two years. Silently and sadly he
gazed at her changed appearance, and the briny tears slowly trickled
down the soldier's cheeks as he noted her sunken features. At last he
spoke.

"Eva!" he said, in a voice that trembled with emotion, "my wife! my
darling wife! do you not know me?"

His voice, full of love, sounded in her ear like the sweetest music
ever played by the angels of God. At the sound of her name she turned
round and looked anxiously in his face--a moment more, and he had
scarcely finished speaking, before she had thrown herself in his arms.

"Alfred! my husband!" she murmured, a