gladly suffer dishonor
and even death, if I could but avenge his wrongs!"

Only Harold Mainwaring's attorneys understood the spirit which
prompted his words, but they carried his audience with him in a
sudden wave of sympathy, and as he paused, men applauded and women
sobbed, while the judge vainly rapped for order.

One figure alone remained motionless, spellbound. Amid the general
excitement, Mrs. LaGrange sat as though turned to stone, her hands
clasped so tightly that the jewels cut deeply into the delicate
flesh, every vestige of color fled from her face, her lips ashen,
her eyes fixed upon the witness, yet seemingly seeing nothing.
Gradually, as she became conscious of her surroundings and of the
curious glances cast in her direction, she partially recovered
herself, though her eyes never left the face of the witness.

"Mr. Mainwaring," continued the attorney, when order had been
restored, "when and how did you first learn that you were the son
of Harold Scott Mainwaring?"

"My first knowledge regarding my own father I received at the age of
fifteen from my foster-parents, who told me of the manner in which
I had been given to them and of the death of my father a few years
later; but the full particulars I did not learn until my twenty-first
birthday, when I received a letter written by my father soon after
my birth, and intrusted to the keeping of my foster-parents until I
should have attained my majority. In that letter he gave me the
story of his life, of his marriage and consequent disinheritance,
and of the yet greater sorrow which followed shortly, which led him
to voluntarily exile himself from his beloved England, and which
finally led to his sacrifice of the love and companionship of his
only child."

As Harold Mainwaring paused, Mr. Sutherland remarked, "I, myself,
have seen the letter to which the witness refers, but I consider it
of too personal a nature and too private in character to submit for
examination. I will say, however, that both my honored colleague,
Mr. Barton, and myself have compared it with other letters and
documents known to have been written by Harold Scott Mainwaring, the
elder son of Ralph Maxwell Mainwaring, and have found the writing
in all cases identically the same. There is yet one more question
which may have a bearing later upon this case, which I will ask the
witness. Mr. Mainwaring, have you, during this time, received any
clue regarding the identity of your mot