The woman looked at her kindly, but Marion’s gaze was wandering. She was trying to realize her extraordinary surroundings.
“Those are ‘ten-day’ men,” said the woman, as she saw Marion staring at two of the deck hands on the steamer. “In other words, they have been sent up for ten days and are allowed to work on the boat.”
Marion opened her eyes in absolute surprise. She had never before heard of such an arrangement.
“Why, that is ever so much better than keeping them shut up,” she said, quickly. “Poor fellows! I am sorry for them. They haven’t all got bad faces.”
“And they are not all bad; now,” said the woman again. “I can assure you, I have many good friends among the prisoners.”
Marion turned and looked at her with interest. She seemed to be both a refined and an intelligent person.
“I am a Bible reader,” said the woman, smiling. “I visit some of the islands every day, and my principal duty is to read the Bible to the prisoners.”
Marion’s smile changed instantly into an expression of wonderment.
“Do they like that, madam?” she asked, a little bluntly.
“Some of them do,” said the woman, with a peculiar laugh, “but some are very hardened. I can hardly get them to listen.”