-it
was what he had tried to do every day since June--and not to go about
robbing innocent children of things like tins of salmon--it was the very
last thing he had ever dreamed of doing.

* * * * *

He had also had more than one interview with the chaplain of the
Established Church, in consequence of his resolute refusal to
acknowledge any religious body at all (he had determined to scotch this
possible clue to his identification); and those interviews had not been
more helpful than any other. It is not of much use to be entreated to
turn over a new leaf when you see no kind of reason for doing so; and
little books left tactfully in your cell, directed to the same point,
are equally useless. Frank read them drearily through. He did not
actually kick them from side to side of his cell when he had finished;
that would have been offensive to the excellent intentions of the
reverend gentleman....

Altogether I do not quite like to picture Frank as he was when he came
out of jail, and hurried away. It is such a very startling contrast with
the gayety with which he had begun his pilgrimage.

* * * * *

He had had plenty of time to think over his plans during the last
fortnight, and he went, first, straight to the post-office. The Governor
had given him half-a-crown to start life with, and he proposed to
squander fourpence of it at once in two stamps, two sheets of paper and
two envelopes.

His first letter was to be to Jack; the second to Major Trustcott, who
had thoughtfully given him the address where he might be found about
that date.

But there were to be one or two additional difficulties first.

He arrived at the post-office, went up the steps and through the swing
doors. The place had been newly decorated, with a mahogany counter and
light brass lattice rails, behind which two young ladies of an
inexpressibly aristocratic demeanor and appearance were engaged in
conversation: their names, as he learned from a few sentences he
listened to before daring to interrupt so high a colloquy, were Miss
Mills and Miss Jamieson.

After a decent and respectful pause Frank ventured on his request.

"Two stamps, two sheets of paper and two envelopes, please ... miss."
(He did manage that!)

Miss Mills continued her conversation:

"So I said to her that that would never do, that Harold would be sure to
get hold of it, and that then--"

Frank shuffled his