hts of her he fell into a great spiritual dumbness.
Never, even in his moments of most theoretical imaginings, did he see
himself setting before her fully and calmly the hopes and ambitions of
which she had been the mainspring. And before a reconciliation, many
such rehearsals must take place in the secret recesses of a man's being.

Thorpe did not cry out, nor confide in a friend, nor do anything even
so mild as pacing the floor. The only outward and visible sign a close
observer might have noted was a certain dumb pain lurking in the depths
of his eyes like those of a wounded spaniel. He was hurt, but did not
understand. He suffered in silence, but without anger. This is at once
the noblest and the most pathetic of human suffering.

At first the spring of his life seemed broken. He did not care for
money; and at present disappointment had numbed his interest in the
game. It seemed hardly worth the candle.

Then in a few days, after his thoughts had ceased to dwell constantly on
the one subject, he began to look about him mentally. Beneath his other
interests he still felt constantly a dull ache, something unpleasant,
uncomfortable. Strangely enough it was almost identical in quality with
the uneasiness that always underlay his surface-thoughts when he was
worried about some detail of his business. Unconsciously,--again as in
his business,--the combative instinct aroused. In lack of other object
on which to expend itself, Thorpe's fighting spirit turned with energy
to the subject of the lawsuit.

Under the unwonted stress of the psychological condition just described,
he thought at white heat. His ideas were clear, and followed each other
quickly, almost feverishly.

After his sister left the Renwicks, Thorpe himself went to Detroit,
where he interviewed at once Northrop, the brilliant young lawyer whom
the firm had engaged to defend its case.

"I'm afraid we have no show," he replied to Thorpe's question. "You see,
you fellows were on the wrong side of the fence in trying to enforce the
law yourselves. Of course you may well say that justice was all on your
side. That does not count. The only recourse recognized for injustice
lies in the law courts. I'm afraid you are due to lose your case."

"Well," said Thorpe, "they can't prove much damage."

"I don't expect that they will be able to procure a very heavy
judgment," replied Northrop. "The facts I shall be able to adduce will
cut down damages. But the costs w