"It is against all discipline, but it is pretty hard to resist Mrs.French," he continued, turning to the doctor.
"It is quite useless trying," said the doctor; "I have long ago discovered that." "Come," said that little lady, leading Paulina to the door of the cell.
The guard turned the lock, shot back the bolts, opened the door and motioning with his hand, said gruffly to Paulina, "Go in." The woman looked into the cell in shrinking fear.
"Go on," said Mrs.French in an encouraging voice, patting her on the shoulder, "I will wait here." Clinging to one another, the woman and children passed in through the door which the guard closed behind them with a reverberating clang.

Mrs.French sat on the bench outside, her face cast down, her eyes closed.

Now and then through the grating of the door rose and fell a sound of voices mingled with that of sobs and weeping, hearing which, Mrs.French covered her face with her hands, while the tears trickled down through her fingers.
As she sat there, the door-bell rang and two Galician men appeared, seeking admission.
"We come to see Kalmar," said one of them.
Mrs.French came eagerly forward.

"Oh, let them come in, please.
They are friends of the prisoner.

I know them." Without a word the guard turned from her, strode to the office where Mr.Cowan sat in conversation with the doctor, and in a few moments returned with permission for the men to enter.
"Sit down there," he said, pointing to a bench on the opposite side of the door from that on which Mrs.French was sitting.
Before many minutes had elapsed, the prisoner appeared at the door of his cell with Paulina and his children.
"Would you kindly open the door ?" he said in a courteous tone to the guard.