Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-07-12
A FAMILY AFFAIR.
CHAPTER VIII (CoSrrSuEp).
BY HUGH CONWAY.

CHAPTER VIII (CoSTISUED).
The prisoners face changed. He
scowled at her as darkly as she had
scowled at him.
"When will your time be app" she
asked sharply. Can you tell me-"
she added. turning to the warder.
"He's in blue, so he's in his last year"
Mrs. Miller shuddered. Her hands
elm he'd themselves inyoluntarily.
II want to know" she said, address
ing the convict, what arrangements
YOU will be willing to make when you
come out That is the object of my
visit"
The man looked at her mCcking-
". 81 have thought of nothing
as yet," he said, except the Joy shall
feel at once more returning to the arms
of my devoted wife"
The woman's dark eyes blazed. She
leaned her face ayainst the bars, and
glanced at the shaven face before her.
GLOW much money do you wantP" she
whispered.
The convict shrugged his uninterest-
ing-looking shoulders. Money is an
after-consideration 1 am pinlng for
connubial felicity"
She turned and paced the narrow
space. The warder grew quite inter-
ested in the interview. AS rule his
duties were very monotOnous Ne
recognized the fact that the present
conversation was out of the ordinary
run. The woman seemed TO have for
gotten his presence. She stamped her
loot and turned tiercely to the convict.
-'Look here" she SAID; ''wiil you 90
to America, Australia, anywhere ?
Money will be found"
Certainly not" said the polite con-
vict. Besides, SIR" he added, turn
ing to the warder with an assumed air
If difference, II believe it is a sine qua
non, mean it is indispensable that for
some time must report to the police
once a month";"
The warder nodded.
4.God help usr' murmured the
woman. Then turning to the convict,
You'll let me know when you are re-
leasedP"
.'Oh, yes. I'll let YOU know fast
enough. You'll be one of the first l
shall come and see. Now, if you've
nothing more to say, / IL ask to be taken
as the fare is, like it better warm than
cold. ="
The solid warder could not help
smiling The time usually allotted to
visitors had by no means expired. 1t
was new experience TO find convict
of his own free will curtailing his privi-
lege. He turned enquiringly to Mrs.
Miller.
"Got anything else to say to himP" he
asked
No." she answered sullenly. The
convict made her polite bow as she
turned and walked TO the door of her
own den. She stood outside on the
gravel for a moment and gazed moodly
after No. 1880 as he was conducted
by his guardian across the open space
and vanished from sight round the
chapel on the way to his cell. Then
she entered the waiting room, whore
she found the civil official who had at
first aeeosted her.
From him she aseertained the proper
office at which the inquiry she wanted
answered should be made; and upon
applying there learned that No. 1880,
supposing he continued to conduct
himself as he had therto done. that is.
earning the maximum of eight good
marks a day. wo MD obtain his ticket-of-
leay, in about sax months time.
.'Then what becomes of himP" she
asked. "Do you just put him outside
the gate and tell him to be Off"
The officer smiled. "Oh dear, no.
He is asked if he has any friends to go
to. or where he wants to go to. His
fare is paid to that place. He is given
q suit of clothes and a little money.
After that he must to the best he can"
Mrs. Miller looked thoughtful. is
there any one could write TO and ask
to be told the day he will come outp"
she asked.
Certainly. If you are relation or
friend. and willing to look after him,
and wrote to the governor TO that effect,
no doubt you would hear from him"
"Thank you," said Mrs. Miller. Then
she gathered up her black skirts, and
left the prison. She found her cab, and
was driven back to the railway station.
IL was some time before train left for
WEYMOUTH so she cl mbed to the top
of Chesil Beach, and sat down gazing
out over the sea Her lips moved. al.
though the rest of her body was notion
less. She was praying, and the petition
she offered up was that Heaven would
remove from earth a certain convict