Page:The Galaxy, Volume 6.djvu/854

814 can hardly leave home to-day, for I must begin to get ready for my journey;" and then she told her plan to the young man, who listened attentively, and replied,

"All the more reason you should go home with me to-day, to bid my mother good-by; and I, too, have something important to say to you, Louisa, before you go. I went out to the farm yesterday on purpose to speak to your father and mother, and intended when I rode in this morning with Mr. Wylie, to ask you to go out to my mother's to-day. Will you come?"

"I could not not go merely for pleasure, John, but I will go to see this poor dying man," said Louisa, coloring scarlet, but meeting the young man's meaning glance fully and fearlessly.

"Then I will call for you at ten o'clock, shall I?"

"Yes, if you please."

But at ten o'clock as they passed through the city streets to the horse-cars, every wall confronted them with placards announcing the escape of Nicholas Baybridge from the State prison, describing his person, and dress, and offering a large reward for his apprehension.

"You must not tell until he is dead, John," said Louisa, anxiously. "He cannot live many days, and they should be spent in peace."

"They shall not be disturbed, Louisa," said the young man, and resolved to keep his word at whatever sacrifice; but none was needed, for, like many other very transparent secrets, the true story of No. 35's escape was never known, and the authorities wisely decided to identify him with the body of a man found floating in the dock next day, as poor Nick had fully intended himself to be found.

Arrived at the cottage, Louisa, after a brief conversation with Mrs. Merton, asked to be allowed to see the sick man.

"It's a shocking sight for you, dear," said tender-hearted Mrs. Merton. "But he has done nothing but ask for you since John went away. He's sinking fast, poor fellow, and the doctor says—I would send for old Doctor Spear, though the man declared he wouldn't have any one—the doctor says he never will see sunrise again."

"Poor man! And such a horrible death. Let us go to him at once, Mrs. Merton, if I can say or do anything to comfort him," said Louisa, pale, but very resolute, nor did she shrink or falter when, standing beside the bed, she looked for the first time full at the disfigured face and head, the maimed and broken arms, and heaving chest of the injured man.

"You were asking for me, they said. Can I do anything for you?" inquired she.

The convict opened his heavy, blood-shotten eyes, and looked earnestly up into her face.

"It's come round curious, that you should be the one to get it, after all," said he.

"Get what?" asked Louisa, gently.

"What I'm agoing to give you. The old woman would have a doctor, I didn't want one because I thought he'd blow on me, and I ain't agoing back to the prison any way. But the doctor said he wouldn't get round so as to report me before night, and by that time I'd be out of danger."

"Out of danger of arrest?"

"Out of danger of anything that we know about. The old man spoke solemn