ecision about the matter,
and he hadn't the least intention of altering it--which showed he
knew something of the world, as well as intended to be true to his own
opinions. The whole thing blew over after a bit, and the people of the
country soon found out that there wasn't such another Governor (barrin'
one) as the Queen had the sending out of.

The day it was all settled the head gaoler comes to me, and says he,
'Richard Marston, the Governor and Council has been graciously pleased
to order that you be discharged from her Majesty's gaol upon the
completion of twelve years of imprisonment; the term of three years'
further imprisonment being remitted on account of your uniform good
conduct while in the said gaol. You are now free!'

I heard it all as if it had been the parson reading out of a book about
some other man. The words went into my ears and out again. I hardly
heard them, only the last word, free--free--free! What a blessed word it
is! I couldn't say anything, or make a try to walk out. I sat down on my
blankets on the floor, and wondered if I was going mad. The head gaoler
walked over to me, and put his hand on my shoulder. He was a kind enough
man, but, from being 'took in' so often, he was cautious. 'Come, Dick,'
he says, 'pull yourself together. It's a shake for you, I daresay, but
you'll be all right in a day or so. I believe you'll be another man when
you get out, and give the lie to these fellows that say you'll be up to
your old tricks in a month. I'll back you to go straight; if you don't,
you're not the man I take you for.'

I got up and steadied myself. 'I thank you with all my heart, Mr.----,'
I said. 'I'm not much of a talker, but you'll see, you'll see; that's
the best proof. The fools, do they think I want to come back here? I
wish some of them had a year of it.'

As soon as there was a chance of my going out, I had been allowed to
'grow', as they call it in there. That is, to leave off having my face
scraped every morning by the prison barber with his razor, that was
sometimes sharp and more times rough enough to rasp the skin off you,
particularly if it was a cold morning. My hair was let alone, too. My
clothes--the suit I was taken in twelve years ago--had been washed and
cleaned and folded up, and put away and numbered in a room with a lot of
others. I remember I'd got 'em new just before I started away from the
Hollow. They was brought to me, and very well they looked, too. I never
had