ey being
inserted in a Yale lock. The front door opened, and Howard appeared.

"Well, judge!" he exclaimed, "this is a surprise!"

The lawyer looked at him gravely.

"How do you do, young man?" he said. Quizzingly he added: "You look very
pleased with yourself!"

"This is the first opportunity I've had to thank you for your kindness,"
said Howard cordially.

"You can thank your wife, my boy, not me!" Changing the topic, he said:
"So you're going abroad, eh?"

"Yes, did Annie tell you? It's only for a few months."

The lawyer frowned. Tapping the floor impatiently with his cane, he
said:

"Why are you going away?"

Taken aback at the question, Howard stammered:

"Because--because----"

"Because I want him to go," interrupted Annie quickly.

The lawyer shook his head, and looking steadily at Howard, he said
sternly:

"I'll tell you, Howard, my boy. You're going to escape from the
scandalmongers and the gossiping busy-bodies. Forgive me for speaking
plainly, but you're going away because your wife's conduct is a topic of
conversation among your friends----"

Howard interrupted him.

"You're mistaken, judge; I don't care a hang what people say----"

"Then why do you leave her here to fight the battle alone?" demanded the
judge angrily.

Annie advanced, and raised her hand deprecatingly. Howard looked at her
as if now for the first time he realized the truth.

"To fight the battle alone?" he echoed.

"Yes," said the judge, "you are giving the world a weapon with which to
strike at your wife!"

Howard was silent. The lawyer's words had struck home. Slowly he said:

"I never thought of that. You're right! I wanted to get away from it
all. Father offered me the chance and Annie told me to go----"

Annie turned to the judge.

"Please, judge," she said, "don't say any more." Addressing her husband,
she went on: "He didn't mean what he said, Howard."

Howard hung his head.

"He's quite right, Annie," he said shamefacedly. "I never should have
consented to go; I was wrong."

Judge Brewster advanced and patted him kindly on the back.

"Good boy!" he said. "Now, Mrs. Jeffries, I'll tell your husband the
truth."

"No!" she cried.

"Then I'll tell him without your permission," he retorted. Turning to
the young man, he went on: "Howard, your wife is an angel! She's too
good a woman for this world. She has not hesitated to sacrifice her good
name, her happiness to shield another woman. And that wom