uick, it hardly seems a dozen years instead of seven-and-twenty
since it began. It won't last much longer. Another week and it will
be over. There's a fellow to be strung up before me, for murdering his
wife. The scoundrel, I wonder how he feels?

I've had visitors too; some I never thought to see inside this gaol
wall. One day who should come in but Mr. Falkland and his daughter.
There was a young gentleman with them that they told me was an English
lord, a baronet, or something of that sort, and was to be married to
Miss Falkland. She stood and looked at me with her big innocent eyes, so
pitiful and kind-like. I could have thrown myself down at her feet.
Mr. Falkland talked away, and asked me about this and that. He seemed
greatly interested. When I told him about the last fight, and of poor
Jim being shot dead, and Starlight dying alongside the old horse, the
tears came into Miss Falkland's eyes, and she cried for a bit, quite
feeling and natural.

Mr. Falkland asked me all about the robbery at Mr. Knightley's, and took
down a lot of things in his pocket-book. I wondered what he did that
for.

When they said good-bye Mr. Falkland shook hands with me, and said 'he
hoped to be able to do some good for me, but not to build anything on
the strength of it.'

Then Miss Falkland came forward and held out her beautiful hand to
me--to me, as sure as you live--like a regular thoroughbred angel, as
she always was. It very nigh cooked me. I felt so queer and strange, I
couldn't have spoken a word to save my life.

Sir George, or whatever his name was, didn't seem to fancy it over much,
for he said--

'You colonists are strange people. Our friend here may think himself
highly favoured.'

Miss Falkland turned towards him and held up her head, looking like a
queen, as she was, and says she--

'If you had met me in the last place where I saw this man and his
brother, you would not wonder at my avowing my gratitude to both of
them. I should despise myself if I did not. Poor Jim saved my life on
one occasion, and on another, but far more dreadful day, he--but
words, mere words, can never express my deep thankfulness for his noble
conduct, and were he here now I would tell him so, and give him my hand,
if all the world stood by.'

Sir George didn't say anything after that, and she swept out of the
cell, followed by Mr. Falkland and him. It was just as well for him to
keep a quiet tongue in his head. I expect she was a great