erently the old maid performed the sacred ceremony
that her faith taught her was essential to the child's salvation. And
she gave it the first name that came into her head--"Mary."

"There! now you are ready to go, my baby! Not that--that I really think
the good Lord would ever keep you, my innocent one, out of His heaven,
merely because you wasn't christened! No, no, I don't believe that
either! But still it's best to be on the safe side, when it's so easy
as sprinkling a little water and speaking a few words!--HUSH! I do
believe they are coming to let us out at last!" exclaimed Miss Tabby,
breaking off from her monologue, as through all the general uproar a
crashing sound close at hand smote upon her ear!

She hastily laid the child upon the bed, and hurried to the door. No one
was there, and the bolts and bars were fast as ever. But before she
could turn around the window fell in with a tremendous clatter and
bang--glass and grating ringing and shattering upon the floor.

Miss Tabby recoiled and squeezed herself against the wall in the corner.
She thought the window had been beaten in by the water, and she expected
the flood to follow.

But a tall man in dark clothing leaped through the opening, striking the
floor with a rebound, and then stood up and gazed around the dimly
lighted cell.

His eyes fell upon Sybil, as she lay in coma on the bed.

"All right, Raphael! You were correct. This is the cell, and here she
is. Come!" and he called to some one without.

A second figure, younger and slighter, jumped through the open window
into the cell, and stood, like the first had done, peering around
through the semi-darkness.

"Haste, Raphael! You were swift-footed enough to bring her here! Try to
be almost as swift-footed to bear her hence!" cried the first man,
seizing the form of Sybil and wrapping it hastily in the upper quilt.

As he was doing this, something rolled over and cried.

"Hallo! Here's a baby! I never bargained for that!" exclaimed the man in
astonishment.

"It is _her_ baby, father--the baby for whose sake the governor
prolonged her life. Let me take it," pleaded the youth.

"Why the demon didn't you tell me about this before?" angrily demanded
the elder, while carefully wrapping up the patient.

"I knew no more than yourself, father. _You_ knew, as I and everybody
did, that this child was expected, and that the governor respited the
mother for its sake; but I didn't know it had arrived unt