in a whisper from the side
door, where widow Lynch was listening; but, fortunately, none of the
audience heard her.)

"I feel," continued Pauline, taking no notice of the advice, "that it
becomes me, as your chosen queen, to do what I think will be best for
the interests of the community."

"Hear, hear!" exclaimed some of the audience; but they gave no further
expression to their feelings, being still uncertain as to the queen's
leanings.

"No doubt," continued Pina, trying, not quite successfully, to swallow
the lump in her throat, "the punishment which you have awarded these men
is in strict accordance with your ideas of justice, and, being utterly
ignorant of law, I will not presume to doubt the wisdom of your
decision; nor would I interfere, either by increasing or decreasing the
punishment, did I not feel that this case is peculiar, very peculiar.
It is, as I have said, the beginning of crime in our kingdom, and little
beginnings, you all know, often lead to great results. A small leak may
sink a ship. Then, in the second place, this is the first offence
committed by these men, and first offences require peculiar treatment--"

("That's so, my dear--_powerful_ treatment. Give it 'em hot!" inaudibly
whispered the widow.)

"Turning to that Book," continued Pauline, "which shall be my guide in
every act of life, I find that God `delighteth in mercy.' Can I go
wrong in following humbly in His footsteps? I think not. Therefore, I
venture to exercise the privilege of my position, and extend mercy to
these men. The law has been vindicated by their trial and condemnation.
I now, in accordance with constitutional right, bestow on them a free
pardon."

This, being rapidly uttered, quite took the people by surprise, and
caused them to burst into a ringing cheer, above which the no longer
inaudible voice of the widow was heard to exclaim--

"Free parding, indeed!" in tones of indignant contempt, as she shut the
door with a bang and retired in disgust from the scene.

"I do not know," said the queen, when silence was restored, "on what
particular officer of my household," (a confused little smile and blush
here), "falls the duty of setting crim--I mean _forgiven_ men free, so I
now order the prime minister to cut their bonds."

Amid some laughter, Joe readily drew forth an enormous clasp-knife and
obeyed this command. Then the queen, stepping forward, held out her
hand with a bright smile to Hugh Morris. Non