u will rejoice. You have saved him for a
trumpery thousand pounds."

"But can he not be pardoned, can he not be pardoned, my lord?" exclaimed
Alice, clasping her hands. "To be banished to the West Indies as a
slave is a terrible punishment."

"We can hang him instead," said Jeffreys.

"Then, will you give me a paper stating that his sentence is commuted?"

"You doubt my word, wench? Well, you shall have it to satisfy your
incredulity," and he wrote a few lines. "Stephen Battiscombe, sentenced
to death, punishment commuted to ten years' slavery in Jamaica."

Alice could scarcely refrain from giving a cry of dismay as she saw
this. "Could he not be sent to Virginia?" she asked.

"Could you not go out and join him there?" exclaimed the Judge,
tauntingly. "If you are not content with having saved your crop-eared
lover's life, you shall have his dead body by to-morrow morning, wench,
and I will order him to be hung forthwith."

"Oh, no, no!" exclaimed Alice, clasping her hands. "Let him live--in
your clemency let him live!" and, scarcely waiting to pay a formal
farewell to the Judge, she hastened out to rejoin Mr Willoughby. He
had in the meantime discovered the prison where Stephen was confined.
It was not a place into which Alice could have entered alone, but she
was able to accompany him. Together they sought out the officer who had
charge of the prisoners, and presented the document which the Judge had
given to Alice, to prevent the risk of any mistake being made. The man
looked well pleased. "A live prisoner is worth ten dead ones, and you
may depend on it we will not hang him if we can help it."

Alice had hoped to have been allowed to see Stephen, to communicate to
him the fact that his life had been spared. This the jailer said was
impossible, though he promised to do so as soon as he could. Alice
remained another day with her kind friend Mr Willoughby, and at length
succeeded in obtaining an interview. Stephen had heard the change in
his fate. "While there is life there is hope," he said. "I may reach
Jamaica; when there, I may succeed in obtaining my liberation, and
happier days may be in store for England, and I may be able to return
without let or hindrance."

Alice was equally hopeful, and they parted, she having the satisfaction
of believing that she had contributed to save Stephen's life.

The Colonel received her with a look of approbation as she arrived.
"You have acted like a brav