er and put them away, wondering if the prison
shears would cut closer or shorter, and wondering if it would make any
difference that she was only a substitute, or at most an accessory.

It was a strange idea which had taken possession of her, and a senseless
one, but it was terribly real to her, and that little shorn head
represented as noble and complete a sacrifice as was ever made by older
and wiser people. There was no hard board to sleep upon, and so she took
the floor, with a pillow under her head and a blanket over her,
wondering the while if this were not a more luxurious couch than
convicts, who had stolen diamonds, were accustomed to have.

'Why, Jerry, what have you done?' and 'Oh, Jerry, how you look!' were
the ejaculatory remarks which greeted her next morning, when she went
down to her breakfast of bread and water, for she would take nothing
else.

'Why did you do it?' Mrs. Crawford asked a little angry and a good deal
astonished; but Jerry only answered at first with her tears, as Harold
jeered at her forlorn appearance and called her a picked chicken.

'Maude's hair is short, and all the girls', and mine was always in my
eyes and snarled awfully,' she said at last, and this was all the excuse
she would give for what she had done; while for her persisting in a
bread and water diet she would give no reason for three or four days.
Then she said to Harold, suddenly:

'You told me that the one who stole the diamonds would have to eat bread
and water and have his head shaved, and I am trying to see how it would
seem--am playing that I am the man, and in prison; but I find it very
hard, I don't believe I can stand it. Oh, Harold, do you think they will
ever find the diamonds? I am so tired and hungry, and the blackberry pie
we had for dinner did look so good!'

'Jerry,' Harold exclaimed, in amazement, and but dimly comprehending her
real meaning, 'you are crazy, to be playing you are a convict! And is
that what you have been doing?'

'Ye-es,' Jerry sobbed; 'but I can't bear it, and I hope they will not
find him,'

'Him! Who?' Harold asked.

'The one who took the diamonds,' she replied.

'And I hope they will. He ought to be found and punished. Think what
harm he has done to me by letting them accuse me,' Harold answered,
indignantly.

'No, no, Hally,' Jerry replied. 'No one accused you but Tom, and he is
meaner than dirt; and if they did think you took them, and if you had to
go, I should not let