e magistrate refused to renew his bail, his
confidence never deserted him. It was only to-day, when the whole thing
was unrolled before him, that he appeared to understand. Oh, if you'd
heard the evidence that was given! And then the pitiful spectacle of
those two men trying to throw the blame on one another!'

A look of terror came into Mrs. Crowley's face.

'You don't think he's guilty?' she gasped.

Dick looked at her steadily, but did not answer.

'But Lucy's convinced that he'll be acquitted.'

'I wonder.'

'What on earth do you mean?'

Dick shrugged his shoulders.

'But he can't be guilty,' cried Mrs. Crowley. 'It's impossible.'

Dick made an effort to drive away from his mind the dreadful fears that
filled it.

'Yes, that's what I feel, too,' he said. 'With all his faults Fred
Allerton can't have committed such a despicable crime. You've never met
him, you don't know him; but I've known him intimately for twenty years.
He couldn't have swindled that wretched woman out of every penny she
had, knowing that it meant starvation to her. He couldn't have been so
brutally cruel.'

'Oh, I'm so glad to hear you say that'

Silence fell upon them for a while, and they waited. From the balcony
they heard George talking rapidly, but they could not distinguish his
words.

'I felt ashamed to stay in court and watch the torture of that unhappy
man. I've dined with him times out of number; I've stayed at his house;
I've ridden his horses. Oh, it was too awful.'

He got up impatiently and walked up and down the room.

'It must be over by now. Why doesn't Alec come? He swore he'd bolt
round the very moment the verdict was given.'

'The suspense is dreadful,' said Mrs. Crowley.

Dick stood still. He looked at the little American, but his eyes did not
see her.

'There are some people who are born without a moral sense. They are as
unable to distinguish between right and wrong as a man who is colour
blind, between red and green.'

'Why do you say that?' asked Mrs. Crowley.

He did not answer. She went up to him anxiously.

'Mr. Lomas, I can't bear it. You must tell me. Do _you_ think he's
guilty?'

He passed his hands over his eyes.

'The evidence was damnable.'

At that moment George sprang into the room.

'There's Alec. He's just driving along in a cab.'

'Thank God, thank God!' cried Mrs. Crowley. 'If it had lasted longer I
should have gone mad.'

George went to the door.

'I must tell Miller.