s Gratton and the others; the physical fact was
sinister as though symbolical of the psychical.

The "judge" began to grow vastly businesslike. He must have the full
names correctly, ages, birthplaces. Gratton answered for himself and for
Gloria, who stood now with her hand on the back of a chair just within
the living-room door. Across the room was the fireplace; over it an
ornamental mirror. She wondered dully what she looked like; the "bride"!
But from where she stood she could see only the reflection of the window
across the room, the strip of curtain at the side stirring softly in the
evening breeze. That breeze came down through the pines; it wandered
free; why couldn't she, Gloria, be like that? She thought poignantly of
her few days among the pines with Mark King. Oh, the remembered glory of
it, the clean, sweet freedom of it.

"Now, folks, if you're ready. Stand side by side--"

"Oh!" cried Gloria.

"Eh? What's that?" demanded the "judge."

She tried to smile.

"I--I think----" She saw Steve Jarrold leering. "The witness," she said
wildly. "There is only one, and----"

"It's usual to have two, anyhow," admitted the "judge." "But, being as
things _is_ a bit irregular and everything, why we'll make one do."

"There's Jim," said Gloria. She did not look toward Gratton, but he
understood that she addressed him. "Jim Spalding. I'd feel better if
some one I knew--if you'd get Jim to come, please."

She knew that she did not care whether Jim Spalding came or did not
come; that she was fighting for delay and could not help snatching at
any straw, though she knew that in the end she would go down,
overwhelmed by circumstance. Circumstance and--Gratton. Gratton also
knew and frowned.

"Gloria," he said smoothly, "that isn't necessary, is it?"

"Yes, it is!" she flared out at him hotly. "Go, get him."

"It will take only a minute," Gratton said over his shoulder as he went.
He would see to it that it took no great amount of time. Spalding on his
bench saw Gratton running toward him.

"You're wanted in the house a minute, Spalding," he said curtly. "Step
lively, will you?"

Spalding, not given to stepping lively at other men's commands, was slow
in answering, and then spoke drawlingly:

"Wanted, am I? Well, that's interestin'. By who? I'm wonderin'."

"Miss Gloria. She wants you right away."

"That's different," said old Jim, getting to his feet.

Gratton turned and hastened back to the house, Jim qui