As carelessly as I could I followed Dinah to the bath-room, ostensibly to direct the temperature of the water, but really to draw out from her all that was possible while the mood of communication possessed her, on the subject so vital to me and my welfare.  Life and death almost were involved in her revelations, and I hastened to wind in the clew while it lingered in my hand; for I knew that she was an eccentric as well as a selfish creature, and might suddenly see fit to withdraw or snap its thread.

“Now, tell me about McDermot, Dinah, what sort of a look has he?  Is he large or small, light or dark, and does he smoke a pipe’?”

“He is a great big man, honey, wid red har an’ sort ob chaney-blue eyes; mos while, sometimes he rolls em up in his head, an’ he smells mighty strong of whisky.  I tells you all; his bref mos knocked me down, but I didn’t see no pipe?”

A discouraging account, truly; yet I persevered.  It seemed my only hope to enlist this man on my side, either through his sympathies or sense of duty.  I had no power to command his services on the side of his avarice.  The ring on my finger, the pledge of Wentworth’s troth, a massive circlet of chased gold, was all that remained to me in the shape of valuables.  I did not possess a stiver in that prison, nor own even the clothes on my back.

“Could you not take him a message from me, Dinah?  It is his duty, you know, to assist me; it is on my account, doubtless, he is placed here; and hereafter I can reward him liberally, and you too.  Just now, you know, I am penniless.”

The woman stopped and looked at me, her small black irises mere points, set in extensive, muddy-looking whites, not unfrequently suffused and bloodshot.

“I dun told the ossifer dar wus no one here you knows, answerin’ to your perscription.”

“But that was only a measure of safety for yourself; you surely do not mean to take sides with my persecutors?”

“I has nuffin at all to do wid it, at all,” hunching her back; “I has gib you far warnin’ ‘bout de laudamy an’ der retentions, an’ you mus’ fight it out yourself, chile!  I is afraid to go one step furder; but de debble sort o’ tempted me dis mornin’ to make a clean breast of der doins.  Ef you mentions it, do; I is retermined to reny ebbery word of your ramification, and in dis here country a nigger’s word, dey tells me, goes jus’ as fur as a pore white gal’s, if not furder; ’sides dat, I is gwine to swar favorable for my ’ployers, in course, at de court-house—­unless”—­hesitating and leering in my face—­“you sees, honey, dey have not paid me yit—­and mebbe dey won’t, ef I displeases ‘em, an’ your gole watch is gone; an’ den, Dinah would be lef’ on de shelf.”

“But I have other property, Dinah, other jewels, even.  That watch was very little compared to what I possess outside of these prison-walls, and these possessions—­”