, was through his love for his wife; he therefore narrated simply
what she had suffered and said; he told how that she had been hourly
expecting him back, until his one short note; how she had listened for
his footsteps, and refused to leave the place where he had left her,
until he came. All that her friends had done for her, was introduced
incidentally; Howel understood that she had been taken to her relations
again, as the prodigal son to his father, but he was not told so.

Rowland did not spare him, however, as regarded Netta. He knew him to be
utterly callous as to the follies and crimes of his life; he must,
therefore, be made conscious of their weight, through their effects upon
others; he knew that they had been the cause of Netta's death, and this
would show him the enormity of sin if nothing else would.

As he detailed the wanderings of poor Netta's mind, and then her anxious
inquiries of him of the way of salvation for Howel, as well as herself,
he was visibly affected. Not even his determination that Rowland should
not see his emotion could conceal it; but he did not speak a word. He
listened to the end, and then, without uncovering his face, he said in a
voice tremulous from emotion,--

'Thank you; now go; and come back to-morrow; I would be alone with her.'

'And to-morrow I must bring your mother,' said Rowland

'No, no, let me see you alone,' was the hasty reply.

'God bless you, Howel, and grant you His help,' said Rowland, passing
before the stooping figure.

There was no reply, so, with a heavy sigh and an inward prayer, Rowland
left the cell.

CHAPTER LII.

THE PENITENT HUSBAND.

The following morning, Rowland again took Mrs Jenkins to her lodging and
left her there. It was with very great difficulty that he persuaded Mrs
Jenkins to remain behind, and only under a promise to prevail upon Howel
to see her immediately after his interview with him.

As he expected, he found Howel almost as cold and impassive as on the
previous day. But he fancied that this was an assumed manner, and that
he could trace workings of more natural feelings underneath. He was at
least civil to him, and instead of receiving him as before, said,--

'I thought you would never come; but I suppose prosperous people are
never in a great hurry to visit the unfortunate. Ha! ha! Certainly my
reception-rooms are not very inviting.'

'I came as soon as I could gain admittance. I wish you would believe,
Howel