For Faith and Freedom

by Walter Besant

'Nay, Sir,' I said, 'what doth all this mean?'

'Nothing, Madam; nothing. I was only anxious that you should say to yourself, "Thus and thus have I been saved from a jail."' Such was Mr. Penne's humanity!

'Understand it! Oh! dear Sir, I repeat that my words are not strong enough to express my gratitude.'

'Now, Madam, no doubt your gratitude runs high. Whether to-morrow——'

'Can I ever forget? To-morrow? To-morrow? Surely, Sir——'

'Well, Madam, we will wait until to-morrow. Meantime, lie snug and still all day, and in the afternoon I will come for you. Two hundred and forty-five pounds—'tis not a great sum, but a good day's work—a good day's work, added to the satisfaction of helping a most unfortunate young gentlewoman—most unfortunate.'

What did the good man mean by still talking of the morrow?

At half-past twelve the good woman of the house brought me a plate of meat and some bread.

'So,' she said—her face was red, and I think she had been drinking—'he hath determined to put you on board with the rest, I hear.'