“‘She is going on well, yet I would recommend a continuance of the same treatment for a while longer. She should be kept somewhat under the influence of sedatives to tide her over this trial,’ was his whispered advice to Joseph Wyvil, as he arose to leave the room.
“He wrote a prescription and minute directions for its administration, and then took leave.
“Joseph Wyvil went down to his breakfast and sent up the landlady’s servant to assist Lil in rising and dressing to go to the jail.
“Joseph called a carriage, but before he put her into it administered a dose of that merciful medicine sent by the doctor to quiet her nerves and blunt her feelings, if it could not obscure her intelligence.
“And so they drove to the jail and were admitted to the presence of poor Joe.
“The jail doctor and the chaplain had done their part, and the doomed boy was much calmer than he had been on the preceding day.
“The stricken young pair met without any violent outbreak of emotion. Each grew paler as they embraced, and neither could speak to the other at first. They sat down on the side of the cot, with their hands clasped together.
“Joseph Wyvil, after taking and pressing his brother’s hand, drew the chair and seated himself before them, and began to talk of the petition for the commutation of Joe’s sentence he intended that day to set on foot. Mr. Rocke, he said, would draw it up, and he thought that judge and jury would sign it as well as many clergymen and other citizens. He himself would take it up to the Home Secretary. He felt sure, he said, that the petition would be granted, and that transportation for life would be the very worst that Joe would have to suffer. Beyond every reasonable cause for believing this, Joseph declared that he felt an interior confidence that was prophetic, for which he could not account.
“‘And then, Joe, your fate will not be hard. It will depend upon yourself to make it easy. If you behave yourself, you will find it light enough, from all that I can hear. You will be taken as some gentleman’s valet, or even secretary, and after a while get your ticket of leave, and in due time your pardon——’
“‘Pardon for what I never did!’ said Joe.