ended.

My colleague read the paper, and handed it back to me without
making any remark. I asked if he suspected the Prisoner of
feigning conversion to please the Minister.

"She shall not discover it," he answered, gravely, "if I do."

It would not be true to say that the Doctor's obstinacy had
shaken my belief in the good result of the Minister's
interference. I may, however, acknowledge that I felt some
misgivings, which were not dispelled when I found myself in
the presence of the Prisoner.

I had expected to see her employed in reading the Bible. The good
book was closed and was not even placed within her reach.
The occupation to which she was devoting herself astonished and
repelled me.

Some carelessness on the part of the attendant had left on
the table the writing materials that had been needed for her
confession. She was using them now--when death on the scaffold
was literally within a few hours of her--to sketch a portrait of
the female warder, who was on the watch! The Doctor and I looked
at each other; and now the sincerity of her repentance was
something that I began to question, too.

She laid down the pen, and proceeded quietly to explain herself.

"Even the little time that is left to me proves to be a weary