toed into the cell.

"I am going to lie down and see if I can get some sleep," North said,
throwing off his coat. "If I sleep, call me as soon as it is light--good
night."

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

ON THE HIGH IRON BRIDGE

As the weeks had passed Marshall Langham had felt his fears lift
somewhat, but the days and nights still remained endless cycles of
torment. Wherever he turned and with whomsoever he talked the North case
was certain sooner or later to be mentioned. There were hideous rumors
afloat, too, concerning General Herbert's activity in behalf of the
condemned man, and in spite of his knowledge of the law, he was
profoundly affected by this wild gossip, this ignorant conjecture, which
reason and experience alike told him misstated every fact that bore on
the situation. He was learning just how dependent he had been on
Gilmore; no strange imaginings, no foolish vagaries had ever beset the
gambler, his brutal vigor had yielded nothing to terror or remorse.

He knew the Herberts had gone to Columbus to make a final appeal to the
governor. Father and daughter had been driven across the Square by
Thompson, the Idle Hour foreman, and they had passed below the windows
of Langham's office on their way to the station. It had seemed to him an
iniquitous thing that the old statesman's position and influence should
be brought into the case to defeat his hopes, to rob him of his
vengeance, to imperil his very safety. Racked and tortured, he had no
existence outside his fear and hate. All that day Langham haunted the
railway station. If any word did come over the wires, he wished to know
it at once, and if General Herbert returned he wished to see him, since
his appearance must indicate success or failure. If it were failure the
knowledge would come none too quickly; if success, in any degree, he
contemplated instant flight, for he was obsessed by the belief that then
he would somehow stand in imminent peril.

He was pacing the long platform when the afternoon train arrived, but
his bloodshot eyes searched the crowd in vain for a sight of General
Herbert's stalwart figure.

"He has just one more chance to get back in time!" he told himself. "If
he doesn't come to-night it means I am safe!"

His bloodless lips sucked in the warm air. Safe! It was the first time
in months he had dared to tell himself this; yet a moment later and his
fears were crowding back crushing him to earth. The general might do
much in the