He
set his snare dexterously, and will not fail to watch it."

"You mean Mr. Dunbar? Yes, you certainly have cause to dread him; but
even if you should be indicted, you have twelve human hearts full of
compassion to appeal to--and I can't think it possible a jury of sane
men could look at you and condemn you. You must fight for your life;
and what is far more to you than life, you must fight for your good
name, for your character. Suspicion is not proof of crime, and there is
no taint on you yet; for sin alone stains, and if you will only be
brave and clear yourself as I know you can, what a grand triumph it
will be. If you starve yourself you seal your doom. An empty stomach
will do you more harm than the Grand Jury and all the lawyers; for it
utterly upsets your nerves, and makes your brain whirl like a top. For
three days and nights you have not tasted food: now just to please me,
since I have taken so much trouble, sit down here by me, and eat what I
have brought. I know you would rather not; I know you don't want it;
but, my dear child, take it like any other dose, which will strengthen
you for your battle. It is very fine to rant about heroism, but
starvation is the best factory for turning out cowards: and even the
courage of old Caesar would have had the 'dwindles,' if he had been
stinted in his rations."

She removed the napkin, and displayed a tempting luncheon, served in
pretty, gilt-banded white china. What a contrast it presented, to the
steaming tin platter and dull tin quart cups carried daily to the
adjoining cell?

Beryl laid her hand on Mrs. Singleton's shoulder, and her mouth
trembled.

"I thank you, sincerely, for your sympathy--and for your confidence;
and to show my appreciation of your kindness, I wish I could eat that
dainty luncheon; but I think it would strangle me--I have such a
ceaseless aching here, in my throat. I feel as if I should stifle."

"See here! I brought you some sweet rich milk in my little boy's cup.
He was my first-born, and I lost him. This was his christening present
from my mother. It is very precious, very sacred to me. If you will
only drink what is in it, I shall be satisfied. Don't slight my angel
baby's cup. That would hurt me."

She raised the pretty "Bo-Peep" silver cup to the prisoner's lips, and
seeing the kind hazel eyes swimming in tears, Beryl stooped her head
and drank the milk.

The warden's wife lifted the cup, looked wistfully at it, and kissed
the