Oliver
Trent was found upon the stairs, and then she gave information as to
what she had seen and heard."

There was a short silence. Then Lesley said, very tremulously--"It
sounds like a plot--a plot against my dear father's good name!"

"And a very cleverly concocted plot too," thought Maurice to himself in
silent rage; but he dared not say so much aloud. He only answered,
tenderly--

"Such a plot can never come to good, Lesley. You and I together--we will
unravel it--we will clear your father, and bring him back to the world
again."

"He is not coming home just yet, then?"

"I am afraid--dear, do not tremble so--he will have to take his trial.
But he will be acquitted, you will see."

She let him press her fingers to his lips again, and made no outward
sign; but the two looked into each other's eyes, and each was conscious
of the presence of a deadly fear.

CHAPTER XXXV.

A VAIN APPEAL.

Lesley went home to sleep, and learned from her aunt the details of her
father's arrest. "But he will be back in a few hours," said Miss Brooke,
obstinately. "They will be obliged to let him ago. They will accept
bail, of course. Mr. Kenyon thinks they will."

"Has Mr. Kenyon been here?"

"Oh, yes; he brought me a message from Caspar. What a horrible thing it
is! But the ridiculous--absurd--part of it is that your father should be
accused. Why, your father was very friendly with Oliver Trent--at least
he used to be!" Then Miss Brooke paused, and fired an unexpected
question at her niece. "Have you any reason to think he was not?"

Lesley winced and hesitated. "I don't think he liked Mr. Trent very
much," she said, at last; "but that is a different thing----"

"From killing him? I should think so!" said Doctor Sophy, in a high tone
of voice. She was in her dressing-gown, and sitting before the fire that
had been lighted in her own little sanctum upstairs; but she was not
smoking as she was usually at that hour. The occasion was too serious
for cigarettes: Doctor Sophy was denying herself. Perhaps that was the
reason why she looked so haggard and so angry, as she turned suddenly
and spoke to her niece in a somewhat excited way.

"What made him unfriendly? Do you not know? It was because you flirted
with Oliver Trent! I really think you did, Lesley. And I know your
father thought so too."

"Then he ought to have been vexed with me, not with Oliver," said
Lesley, standing her ground, but turning very pale.