"Now, Helen," added her brother, starting to his feet, "we are only waiting for you to say you will forgive this man whose iniquities you understood better than any of us; that you will add your name to my petition and we will grant Mrs. Tracy's request to confide her husband to her care." "It's twelve o'clock, Frank, give me the pen, quick. Shall Frederic sign too?" "No, only your own name in full. That's right, now come on, the carriage will be here directly. This business off my mind, I can attend to my own." "I'm proud of you, Frank!" exclaimed Helen, kissing him. "You grow more like dear papa every day." The sound of wheels drew them all to the door, and in five minutes they were whirling off to Mrs. Tracy's humble home. She was all ready for them, but seemed terribly embarrassed by seeing Helen and her husband. She held out her hand timidly to the young bride, but Helen threw her arms about the poor sufferer whispering, "I pity you Mrs. Tracy with all my heart." Frank hurried them off with the assertion: "There is not a moment to lose." Not a word was spoken until they reached the Penitentiary. Then with a timid, appealing glance in Helen's face, the poor wife said: "I hope he'll know me. I hope I can make him happy. He's perfectly harmless, they say." "You had better not alight," urged Frank, coming back to the carriage after a few moments' absence. "I have signed all necessary papers, and he will be here presently." Mr. Tracy's voice was heard before he left the building. It was loud and distinct as usual. He was bidding the physician good-by and inviting him to spend a few days any time at his country house. "There is my carriage," he exclaimed, when he came in sight of it. "I would take you now, if you were dressed,—" (the Doctor wore a linen coat), "but I'll send for you any day. Ha! Ha! Ha!" He did not appear the least astonished to see his wife, though he knew nothing of her coming, he nodded to her and to Helen as he entered, giving the order to the coachman in a loud, authoritative tone: "Home, driver!" While Helen was ready to sink with her varied emotions of pity and disgust, and the crushed wife was making almost frantic efforts at self-control, he turned to her with the remark: "You're dressed in shockingly bad taste, Mrs. Tracy. It is an injury to my credit to have you seen looking like a pauper." They were all relieved when the carriage stopped at the depot to allow Mr. and Mrs. Knowles to alight. Frederic, noble man that he was, had made up his mind not to leave his new charge until they were safely settled in their own house. In five minutes after they left the pavements, the insane man was asleep. It was then easy to see the ravages occasioned by disease. Mrs. Tracy gazed at him and wept without restraint. Mr. Edmond embraced this opportunity to converse with the stricken wife on the uses she might make of her affliction. He told her God was a pitying Father, ready to listen to her prayers.