I grew more and more angry as chills crept up my limbs, and set my teeth chattering. I raised my thinly clad feet from the cold stones only to set them down in a still colder track--a practical test, it now occurs to me, of the experience of the woman on the stones "in solitary,"--but my determination to ferret out the offenders never faltered. I was benumbed; but I persevered till I had traversed the five flats, and listened at the door of nearly a hundred cells. The wails had grown to howls, and filled the prison with their noise as the thunder fills the air with its reverberations, but eluded my search. I gathered my shawl around me, and sat down by the stove to listen; and determine my future course. When I became stationary, the sounds changed their course, and instead of receding approached me. Nearer, and nearer they came. In a moment they were issuing from the floor at my side. I shook with a vague dread. Were those shrieking wails from some prisoner confined in the dungeon vaults below the prison, insane or dying? Involuntarily I looked down. There stood the cat, uttering piteous cries on account of separation from her kittens in the kitchen, and pleading to be let out to them. Quickly I ran over the stairs to get my keys, nor did I feel the chill of the cold stone walks, as I ran back to appease the distress of the mother cat by opening the way to her little ones. I did not regret that I lost the opportunity to execute the mentally threatened punishment of my women. VII. THE MASTER AND THE RULES. One morning, as I sat warming my feet by the prison stove, I heard a slow, measured tread on the stone walk, like some one pacing off the length of the building. When it came near to me I looked, to see the Master stalking along in pompous dignity. There was what he probably supposed to be authority in his bearing. I arose and stood respectfully before him. I supposed he had commands of some kind, for me, from his appearance. He went along without changing his gait, or turning his head, into the kitchen. I really did not know what etiquette to observe on this state occasion; but I slowly followed him. He marched round, looking over the place in silent inspection; then came directly before me, and made a dead halt. He did not speak for a moment, and I, to relieve the embarrassment, asked,-- "Does the place look to suit you?" "When it don't, I shall tell you," he answered gruffly. "It is more pleasant to be told when we have pleased, than when we have not." He made no reply to that remark; but said sternly,-- "You are not to read the Rules to the prisoners; you have nothing to do with that." "I have not read the Rules to the prisoners. I can find no rules to be governed by myself, much more to read to them." "If the prisoners do not obey you, you are to report them at once."