here opposite each
other, I thought, "Now it's coming."

Father had set down his coffee-cup untasted. "I have had to send for
you, Ellie," he said, "because of a matter connected with the trial."

My heart was beating quickly, and in spite of myself my voice trembled.

"When does it begin?" I asked.

"It began last week," father answered, "but there has been no evidence
of any consequence yet."

He was silent for a moment, looking thoughtfully at the dancing flames
of the candles. "I suppose you know," he went on, "that, in trials
there is usually plenty of circumstantial evidence, but eye witnesses
are rare and their testimony most valuable?"

I nodded. This feeling of suspense was intolerable.

"I very much hoped that yours would not be necessary. Mr. Dingley was
of that opinion. But a new development has suddenly arisen, and now I
am afraid you will have to be state's witness--the most important one
they will have."

There are no words to tell of the panic I was in. Father's face,
wrinkled with anxiety, was watching me. "I would give anything to keep
you out of it," he said.

I tried to make my voice steady. "And will I have to tell them whether
or not I think him guilty?"

He put his hand over mine. "God bless the child, no! You will have to
tell them only exactly what you saw, all that you saw, and just how you
saw it."

I could breathe again. After that one awful moment, when the whole
weight of the trial seemed on my shoulders, anything was a relief.
"But, father," I said; "do you really think that he is guilty?"

Father gave me an odd look. "Aren't you the one person in this city
best qualified to answer that question?"

I stared at him. I felt as if I had been suddenly set up in a high
tower, above all other people in the world, and that I was going to
fall. I had known in a blind sort of way what I had seen, and, also,
that no one else had seen it; but I had not realized the terrible
isolation, the responsibility of such knowledge. "Oh," I cried, "I
only wish I had never gone near Dupont Street. I am so sorry I have
made you unhappy!"

"Well, my dear child, this is no time for regretting what has been
done. We must think of ourselves only as two citizens of the state,
and be ready to do all we can in that cause. You know it will not be
easy, it will be made as difficult as possible for you to answer
straightly." He had hold of both my hands now, was looking hard into
my fa