The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-01-15
HGrSiStGr'S Honor.
A Tale of English Life.
BY WALTER BESANT
CHAPTER VI.
OUT AGAIN,

..Hush2" Naomi held up her finger
! Il think she Is in Sleep"
r AT last you have her again, SAID the
librarian.
~Yes-at last. They let her SO be-
cause she was Ill, and the time was &c
close at hand when she would have he1
ticket -of-leave. I brought her home
yesterday. She was good deal excited,
Door, child, but at night she grew COM
posed and told me more than ] knew.
He was her husband-her husband
think Of that! The man went into the
witness box and sent his own wife to
penal seryitude. She did not stab him
In her misery because he had deserted
her-she wanted to kill herself. will
tell YOU 81! presently. He knew that,
too. Oh, villain!-villain:"
"Villainl villain!" echoed the Ii
brarian.
sYou shall see her directly. But she
frightened me this morning. She does
not know me. She thinks she has got
her baby in her lap-it was born in the
prison, and died in the prison. But she
Is a married woman, remember. She
thinks her husband-Oh, her husband
lis with her. Tell me what should
do. Come in. Her eyes are closed. I
think she is sleeping"
1t was a Sunday morning in mid
winter. Outside, the church bells
rang, but it was not a quarter
where the call to prayer is needed, and
sae feet Of the people were not set
churchwards. Within, bright fire, a
clean room, and In an easy chair the
prisoner set free. She had put of her
prison dress; they had suffered her hair
TO grow, her beautiful light hair curling
about her forehead; her face, refined by
long suffering, seemed in its delicacy
and pale beauty to be the face OF some
Christian saint who spent her days in
holy meditation; her eyes were closed,
but at the sound of the voices and the
shutting Of the door she awoSe and look.
ed around. ........
, Naomi, dear" she. said, smiling.
Thank God! She was once more in her
right mind again. g.,
Ibave been asleep, think. I forgot
that was released, and thought was
In my cell again
Dear" said Naomi. Forget the cell.
Obi Try to forget it. See, have
brought you my friend-my best friend.
Oh! my dear, he knows all; he will ad.
wise US and help US. He has been very
good and kind to me, dear-while we
were parted. Because it was lonely
without you-and when one thought
no, no, it is all over. Oh! my dear
my dear-it is all over and we are to.
sether, and can bear anything now
anything"
The librarian tried to speak. But he
turned away his face, and the tears
rolled down his cheeks even to his great
gray beard. Twas q soft-hearted IL
brariap. -f..
@You have got to grow quite strong
and well again, my dear, he said, TAX
ing her hand and holding it while he sat
down beside her. Quite strong and
well before you think about anything.
Poor child"
II shall never get strong or well
again, =. she replied. Il heard the doc
tor In the infrmary say 30. That mat
ters nothing, except that shall be such
o trouble to everybody. Oh! Naomi.
dear, what trouble have been to you!
What dreadful trouble. I have spoiled
your whole life, my dear" ...
Not you-not you, Ruth, Naomi an
swered, hoarsely. But that villain
oh that villain!"
Don't, dear. It hurts me that any
body should call him names. At first
was hard upon him for the sake Of my