Page:Marsh--The seen and the unseen.djvu/58

34 "Laugh away, Mr. Paley! 'He laughs longest who laughs last.’"

"Quite so, doctor, quite so! With regard to your guardian angel theory, about a woman watching over Solly, and so on, I may mention that a letter has been received in the prison, addressed to the man Solly, which comes from a woman—from a woman who is, apparently, his wife. Whoever she is, she is, if one may judge from the evidence of the letter itself, certainly a remarkable woman. And I am bound to allow that, in view of recent events, and of what we have heard from Doctor Livermore, this letter is, in a sense, a coincidence. In pursuance of the powers which are invested in me to make such use of convicted prisoners' letters as may appear to me to be justified by circumstances, I will read to you this letter which has been sent to the prison, addressed to Solly."

The governor read aloud the following letter. It sounded strange in his cool, clear, slightly acid tones. One fancied that it had been written in a different spirit to that in which it was read.

"‘,

"‘God bless you, sweetheart! I hope you realise, my dear, that I am with you in Canterstone Jail. Not only in spirit, but actually, and in fact I am with you in the morning when the bell rings, and you rise from your plank bed. I am with you on the treadwheel, love, and I am proud to keep step at your side. And I am with you when, in the evening, you lie down again upon your plank. I lie down on the plank beside you, and I creep into your arms as I used to do when I had you at home, and as I will do when, soon, I have you home again, my love. Do not