y his oversight.

Ollie was cold with apprehension as Joe approached the point in his
recital where the danger lay for her. He seemed now to be unaware of her
presence, and the fact that he did not seek to assure her with his eyes
gave a somber color to her doubts. She knew Hammer's crafty reputation,
and understood his eagerness to bring his client off clear. Perhaps he
had worked on Joe to make a clean breast of it. Maybe he was going to
tell.

All her confidence of a little while ago dissolved, the ease which
followed her descent from the witness-chair vanished. She plucked at her
dark vestments with trembling hands, her lips half open, her burning
eyes on Joe's unmoved face. If he should tell before all these people,
before that stern, solemn judge--if he should tell!

Joe went on with his story, Hammer endeavoring to lead him, to the best
of his altogether inadequate ability, around the dangerous shoals. But
there was no avoiding them. When it came to relating the particulars of
the tragedy, Hammer left it all to Joe, and Joe told the story, in all
essentials, just as he had told it under the questioning of the
coroner.

"We had some words, and Isom started for the gun," said he.

He went over how he had grappled with Isom in an endeavor to prevent him
turning the gun against him; told of the accidental discharge of the
weapon; the arrival of Sol Greening.

Judge Maxwell leaned back in his chair and listened, his face a study of
perplexity and interest. Now and then he lifted his drooping lids and
shot a quick, searching glance at the witness, as if seeking to fathom
the thing that he had covered--the motive for Isom Chase's act. It was
such an inadequate story, yet what there was of it was undoubtedly
true.

After Hammer had asked further questions tending to establish the fact
of good feeling and friendship between Joe and Isom, he gave it over,
knowing full well that Joe had set back his chances of acquittal further
than he had advanced them by his persistency in testifying as he had
done.

The jury was now in a fog of doubt, as anybody with half an eye could
see, and there was Sam Lucas waiting, his eyes glistening, his hard lips
set in anticipation of the coming fight.

"Take the witness," said Hammer, with something in his manner like a
sigh.

The prosecuting attorney came up to it like a hound on the scent. He had
been waiting for that day. He proceeded with Joe in a friendly manner,
and went o