--I couldn't; I was a
coward, a traitor, a Judas. Oh, God!"

The overwrought man threw himself face down on the table in front of his
grim accuser, like a child's broken doll, and wept with great sobs that
shook his frame as the wind lashes the waters into turmoil.

An exultation of righteous victory swept through Crane's soul. He might
have been like that; he had been saved from it by his love for a good
woman. He could not despise the poor broken creature who confessed so
abjectly, because all but in deed he also had sinned. The deepest cry
of despair from Cass was because of the sin he had committed against his
friend--against Mortimer.

Crane waited until Cass's misery had exhausted itself a little, and when
he spoke his voice was soft in pity.

"I understand. Sit in your chair there and be a man. Half an hour ago I
thought you a thief--I don't now. You had your time of weakness, perhaps
all men have that; you fell by the wayside. I don't think you'll do it
again."

"No, no, no! I wouldn't go through the hell I've lived in again for
all the money in the world. And I'm so glad that it is known; I feel
relief."

"Well, it is better that the truth has come out, because everything can
be put right. I was going to make you pay back the thousand dollars to
Mortimer--I was going to drive you from the bank--I was going to let it
be known that you had stolen the money, but now, I must think. You must
have another chance. It's a dangerous thing to wreck lives--"

"My God! it is; that's what haunted me night and day. I felt as though
I had murdered a man who had been my friend. I knew he thought young
Porter had taken it and was shielding him. The memory of the misery in
Mortimer's face at being counted a thief would have stuck to me if I had
lived a hundred years."

Cass had interrupted Crane. When he ceased again out of exhaustion,
Crane proceeded, "Mortimer must be paid back the money."

"I'll save and work my fingers off till I do it."

"You can't. Those dependent upon you would starve. I'll attend to that
myself."

"And you will let me go without--"

"No, you can't go."

"My God! I'm to be prosecuted?"

"No, you can stay in the bank. I don't think you'll ever listen to the
voices again; it's bad business."

Cass sat and stared at the strange man who said these things out of
silly expressionless eyes that were blurred full of tears.

"Yes, you can go right on as you have been. It will be understood
th