of Mrs.
Hamilton. She was a woman who had been born in the neighborhood of
Benham, but had lived for twenty years in England, and had been tried in
England by due process of law for the murder of her husband and
sentenced to imprisonment for life. Some of the people of the state who
had followed the testimony as reported in the American newspapers had
decided that she ought not to have been convicted. Accordingly a
petition setting forth the opinion of her former neighbors that she was
innocent of the charge, and should as an American citizen be released
from custody, was circulated for signature. A public meeting was held
and largely attended, at which it was resolved to send a monster
petition to the British authorities with a request for Mrs. Hamilton's
pardon, and also to ask the government at Washington to intercede on
behalf of the unfortunate sufferer. The statement of the case appealed
vividly to Selma, and at the public meeting, which was attended chiefly
by women, she spoke, and offered the services of her husband to lay the
matter before the President. It was further resolved to obtain the names
of influential persons all over the country in order that the petition
might show that the sentiment that injustice had been done was national
as well as local.

Selma espoused the case with ardor, and busied herself in obtaining
signatures. She called on Miss Flagg and induced her to sign by the
assurance that the verdict was entirely contrary to the evidence. She
then had recourse to her former sister-in-law, conceiving that the
signature of the President of Wetmore College would impress the English.
She and Pauline had already exchanged visits, and Pauline had shown no
umbrage at her marriage. The possibility of being rebuffed on this
occasion did not occur to Selma. She took for granted that Pauline would
be only too glad to give her support to so deserving a petition, and she
considered that she was paying her a compliment in soliciting her name
for insertion among the prominent signers. Pauline listened to her
attentively, then replied:

"I am sorry for the woman, if she is innocent: and if she has been
falsely accused, of course she ought to be released. But what makes you
think she is innocent, Selma?"

"The testimony did not justify her conviction. Every one is of that
opinion."

"Have you read the testimony yourself, Selma?"

"No, Pauline."

"Or your husband?"

"My husband is satisfied from what ot