tellated building.

"That is the prison," I replied. "We are looking at it from the most
advantageous point of view; seen from the back, and especially from the
inside, it is a good deal less attractive." Nothing more was said
until the cab drove into the courtyard and set us down outside the great
front gates. Having directed the cabman to wait for us, I rang the bell
and we were speedily admitted through a wicket (which was immediately
closed and locked) into a covered court closed in by a second gate,
through the bars of which we could see across an inner courtyard to the
actual entrance to the prison. Here, while the necessary formalities
were gone through, we found ourselves part of a numerous and very motley
company, for a considerable assemblage of the prisoners' friends was
awaiting the moment of admission. I noticed that my companion was
observing our fellow-visitors with a kind of horrified curiosity, which
she strove, however, and not unsuccessfully, to conceal; and certainly
the appearance of the majority furnished eloquent testimony to the
failure of crime as a means of worldly advancement. Their present
position was productive of very varied emotions; some were silent and
evidently stricken with grief; a larger number were voluble and excited,
while a considerable proportion were quite cheerful and even inclined to
be facetious.

At length the great iron gate was unlocked and our party taken in charge
by a warder, who conducted us to that part of the building known as "the
wing"; and, in the course of our progress, I could not help observing
the profound impression made upon my companion by the circumstance that
every door had to be unlocked to admit us and was locked again as soon
as we had passed through.

"It seems to me," I said, as we neared our destination, "that you had
better let me see Reuben first; I have not much to say to him and shall
not keep you waiting long."

"Why do you think so?" she asked, with a shade of suspicion.

"Well," I answered, "I think you may be a little upset by the interview,
and I should like to see you into your cab as soon as possible
afterwards."

"Yes," she said; "perhaps you are right, and it is kind of you to be so
thoughtful on my account."

A minute later, accordingly, I found myself shut into a narrow box, like
one of those which considerate pawnbrokers provide for their more
diffident clients, and in a similar, but more intense, degree, pervaded
by a su