warranted the prosecutor there. He was allowed to proceed.

"Ollie Chase could not have dressed herself that way in those few
intervening minutes. She had made her preparations long before that
tragic hour; she was ready and waiting--waiting for what?

"Gentlemen, I will tell you. Joe Newbolt had discovered the hiding-place
of his employer's money. He had stolen it, and was preparing to depart
in secrecy in the dead of night; and I tell you, gentlemen of the jury,
he was not going alone!"

"Oh, what a scandalous lie!" said Mrs. Newbolt in a horrified voice
which, low-pitched and groaning that it was carried to the farthest
corner of that big, solemn room.

The outburst caused a little movement in the room, attended by
considerable noise and some shifting of feet. Some laughed, for there
are some to laugh everywhere at the most sincere emotions of the human
breast. The judge rapped for order. A flush of anger mounted to his
usually passive face; he turned to the sheriff with a gesture of
command.

"Remove that woman from the room, Mr. Sheriff, and retain her in
custody!" said he.

The sheriff came forward hastily and took Mrs. Newbolt by the arm. She
stood at his touch and stretched out her hands to the judge.

"I didn't mean to say it out loud, Judge Maxwell, but I thought it so
hard, I reckon, sir, that it got away. Anybody that knows my Joe----"

"Come on, ma'am," the sheriff ordered.

Joe was on his feet. The sheriff's special deputy put his hands on the
prisoner's shoulders and tried to force him down into his seat. The
deputy was a little man, sandy, freckled, and frail, and his efforts,
ludicrously eager, threw the court-room into a fit of unseemly laughter.
The little man might as well have attempted to bend one of the oak
columns which supported the court-house portico.

Judge Maxwell was properly angry now. He rapped loudly, and threatened
penalties for contempt. When the mirth quieted, which it did with a
suddenness almost tragic, Joe spoke. "I wish to apologize to you for
mother's words, sir," said he, addressing the judge, inclining his head
slightly to the prosecuting attorney afterward, as if to include him,
upon second thought. "She was moved out of her calm and dignity by the
statement of Mr. Lucas, sir, and I give you my word of honor that she'll
say no more. I'd like to have her here by me, sir, if you'd grant me
that favor. You can understand, sir, that a man needs a friend at his
side in