“Agnes,” said she, “you must see my husband yourself, and say to him all you have said to me. He is deeply grateful for all you have done for me, and would do anything in the world for you except what he thinks, or what he seems to think, would be yielding to the call of feeling at the expense of justice. He says his predecessor has been much censured for so often granting pardons to criminals, especially to any who had influential friends; and I fear that, in avoiding his errors, he will go to the opposite extreme. He remembers your brother’s case well, and says, that though it could not be called _deliberate_ murder, still it was murder; and he agrees with the lawyer, Mr. G——, that some signal reproof should be given to this practice among the young men of carrying about them offensive weapons. This is all he said; but he has consented to see you, and is expecting you. I shall leave you alone with him; and oh! Agnes, do speak as eloquently as you did to me. I know he cannot resist it.” The Governor, a tall, fine-looking man, was wrapped in his dressing-gown, and seated in his easy chair. He rose to receive Agnes, gave her a cordial welcome as a friend to his wife, and bade her take a seat beside him; but there was something in his look which said, that he did not mean to be convinced against his better judgment by two women. Agnes was at first too much agitated to speak; but the Governor kindly re-assured her, by asking her some questions about her brother’s case, and soon she thought of nothing but him; her courage all revived; and with an eloquence the more effective from being all unstudied, she told her brother’s story to the Governor. “He is so young,” said she, “only eighteen years old; and yet he must die. But, oh! sir, if you would but save him from being dragged in his weakness to a death of shame, or from lingering out his few remaining days in that close, dark cell; oh! if he might only die free!” “Ruth tells me,” said the Governor, quietly, “that your uncle, Mr. Wharton, is with you. Is it William Wharton, of C—— County?” Agnes answered in the affirmative. “Once a very good friend of mine,” said he; “but it is many years since we have met. Where is he?” “He came to the door with me,” answered Agnes, “and will return for me soon. He hoped to have the pleasure of seeing you, sir.” “I will see him when he comes,” said the Governor. “Go you back to Ruth, my dear young lady. I will think of all you have said.” When Mr. Wharton called, he was admitted to the Governor; and the two former friends, after a cordial greeting, were closeted together for a long time. He confirmed all that Agnes said of her brother, and assured the Governor that it was the opinion of physicians that he could not recover, and might not last a month. He spoke long and feelingly of the devotion of Agnes to her brother, in attendance upon whom, in his loneliness and imprisonment, she had worn out health and strength.