“Pray, Miss Merton, do me a favor—­you had always a kind heart Ask that man what has become of Mr. Eden—­he will answer you.”

“Mr. Robinson,” cried Susan, “I have no need to ask Mr. Fry.  I am staying at Mr. Eden’s house.  He is very ill, Mr. Robinson.”

“Ah!  I feared as much! he never would have deserted me else.  What is the trouble?”

“You may well say trouble! it is the prison that has fretted him to death,” cried Susan, half bitterly, half sorrowfully.

“But he will get well! it is not serious?” inquired Robinson anxiously.

Fry pricked his ears.

“He is very ill, Mr. Robinson,” and Susan sighed heavily.

“I’ll pray for him.  He has taught me to pray—­all the poor fellows will pray for him that know how.  Miss Merton, good for nothing as I am, I would die for Mr. Eden this minute if I could save his life by it.”

Susan thought of this speech afterward.  Now she but said, “I will tell him what you say.”

“And won’t you bring me one word back from his dear mouth?”

“Yes!  I will! good-by, Mr. Robinson.”  Robinson tried to say good-by, but it stuck in his throat, Susan retired, and his cell seemed darker than ever.

Mr. Eden lay stricken with fever.  He had been what most of us would have called ill long before this.  The day of Carter’s crucifixion was a fatal day to him.  On that day for the first time he saw a crucifixion without being sick after it.  The poor soul congratulated himself so on this; but there is reason to think that same sickness acted as a safety-valve to his nature; when it ceased the bile overflowed and mixed with his blood, producing that horrible complaint jaundice.  Even then if the causes of grief and wrong had ceased he might perhaps have had no dangerous attack.  But everything was against him; constant grief, constant worry and constant preternatural exertions to sustain others while drooping himself.  Even those violent efforts of will by which he thrust back for a time the approaches of his malady told heavily upon him at last.  The thorough-bred horse ran much longer than a cocktail would, but he could not run forever.

He lay unshaven, hollow-eyed and sallow.  Mrs. Davies and Susan watched him by turns, except when he compelled them to go and take a little rest or amusement.  The poor thing’s thoughts were never on himself, even when he was light-headed, and this was often, though not for long together.  It was generally his poor prisoners, and what he was going to do for them.

This is how Susan Merton came to visit Robinson.  One day, seeing his great interest in all that concerned the prison, and remembering there was a book addressed to one of the officers, Susan, who longed to do something, however small, to please him, determined to take this book to its destination.  Leaving Mrs. Davies with a strict injunction not to stir from Mr. Eden’s room till she came back, she went to the prison and knocked timidly at the great door.  It was opened instantly, and as Susan fancied, fiercely, by a burly figure.  Susan, suppressing an inclination to run away, asked tremulously: