here and be a witness."

Finding that we were both willing to comply with this request, she
addressed herself directly to the Minister. "Suppose I promise to listen
to your exhortations," she began, "what do you promise to do for me in
return?"

The voice in which she spoke to him was steady and clear; a marked
contrast to the tremulous earnestness with which he answered her.

"I promise to urge you to repentance and the confession of your crime. I
promise to implore the divine blessing on me in the effort to save your
poor guilty soul."

She looked at him, and listened to him, as if he was speaking to her in
an unknown tongue, and went on with what she had to say as quietly as
ever.

"When I am hanged to-morrow, suppose I die without confessing, without
repenting--are you one of those who believe I shall be doomed to eternal
punishment in another life?"

"I believe in the mercy of God."

"Answer my question, if you please. Is an impenitent sinner eternally
punished? Do you believe that?"

"My Bible leaves me no other alternative."

She paused for a while, evidently considering with special attention
what she was about to say next.

"As a religious man," she resumed, "would you be willing to make some
sacrifice, rather than let a fellow-creature go--after a disgraceful
death--to everlasting torment?"

"I know of no sacrifice in my power," he said, fervently, "to which I
would not rather submit than let you die in the present dreadful state
of your mind."

The Prisoner turned to me. "Is the person who watches me waiting
outside?"

"Yes."

"Will you be so kind as to call her in? I have a message for her."

It was plain that she had been leading the way to the delivery of
that message, whatever it might be, in all that she had said up to the
present time. So far my poor powers of penetration helped me, and no
further.

The warder appeared, and received her message. "Tell the woman who has
come here with my little girl that I want to see the child."

Taken completely by surprise, I signed to the attendant to wait for
further instructions.

In a moment more I had sufficiently recovered myself to see the
impropriety of permitting any obstacle to interpose between the Minister
and his errand of mercy. I gently reminded the Prisoner that she would
have a later opportunity of seeing her child. "Your first duty," I told
her, "is to hear and to take to heart what the clergyman has to say to
you."

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