“Mr. Swartz, if you don’t conclude your remarks at once I will be necessitated to postpone your case until to-morrow; I I am tired of hearing your remarks, every one of which has been to no purpose.  You say the package of money that you lost was found on this woman, and that she had been in your store the same day and had leaned against the safe on the top of which the money had been placed by you.”

“Dat’s shust it,” replied Mr. Swartz.  “Ven I go mit te voman to te jail te jail man search her and find te monish in her pocket, and it vas te same monish as I had stolen off te safe.—­But te monish vas not all dere; over tirty tollars vas taken out of it, and dat vas vat dis voman sphent, and I—­”

“That’s enough, Mr. Swartz,” interrupted the Mayor.  “You have said enough on the subject, and I will now proceed with the accused.”

While Mr. Swartz was speaking Mrs. Wentworth remained as silent as if she had not heard a word he said.  Her appearance was calm, nor was there anything remarkable about her except a strange unnatural brightness of the eye.

“Well, my woman,” continued the Mayor, “what have you to say in extenuation of the charge.”

“Nothing, Sir,” she replied, “I have nothing to say in defense of myself.  The money was found on my person, and would alone prove me guilty of the theft.  Besides which, I have neither desire nor intention to deny having taken the money.”

“What induced you to steal?” asked the Mayor.

“A greater tempter than I had ever met before,” she replied.  “It was necessity that prompted me to take that money.”

“And you sphent tirty-tree tollers of it, py gootness,” exclaimed Mr. Swartz, in an excited tone.

“As you acknowledge the theft,” said the Mayor, “I am compelled to commit you to prison until the meeting of the Superior Court, which will be in four days from this.”

Mrs. Wentworth was then committed back to prison, and Mr. Swartz returned to his store.

The spirit of the child had reached God and at that moment was pointing to her mother below.  The day of rest is near.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOURTH.

RETURN OF ALFRED WENTWORTH—­A STRANGER.

After long weeks of pain and illness Alfred Wentworth became well enough to return to the Confederacy.  He was accordingly sent down by the first flag of truce that went to Vicksburg after his recovery, and two days after the committal of his wife arrived at Jackson, where he was warmly welcomed by Harry.

“I am delighted to see you, my dear friend,” he exclaimed, shaking his hands warmly, “you have no idea the suspense I have been in since my escape, to learn whether you were re-captured.  It would have reproached me to the last hour of my life had you been killed by those cursed Yankees.”

“I came pretty near it,” replied Alfred, smiling at his friend’s earnestness.