uspect her."

Goldberg looked at him curiously.

"I don't know, Mr. Royce," he said slowly. "If the evidence turns out
as I think it will, I shall have to hold her--the district attorney
expects it."

Mr. Royce's hands were clutching a chair-back, and they trembled a
little at the coroner's words.

"He'll be present at the examination, then?" he asked.

"Yes, we're waiting for him. You see, it's rather an extraordinary
case."

"Is it?"

"We think so, anyway!" said the coroner, just a trifle impatiently.

I could see the retort which sprang to our junior's lips, but he
choked it back. There was no use offending Goldberg.

"I should like to see Miss Holladay before the examination begins," he
said. "Is she present?"

"She's in the next room, yes. You shall see her, certainly, at once.
Julius, take Mr. Royce to Miss Holladay," he added to the clerk.

I can see her yet, rising from her chair with face alight, as we
entered, and I saw instantly how I had misjudged her. She came a step
toward us, holding out her hands impulsively; then, with an effort,
controlled herself and clasped them before her.

"Oh, but I'm glad to see you!" she cried in a voice so low I could
scarcely hear it. "I've wanted you so much!"

"It was my great misfortune that I could come no sooner," said my
chief, his voice trembling a little despite himself. "I--I scarcely
expected to see you here with no one----"

"Oh," she interrupted, "there was no one I cared to have. My friends
have been very kind--have offered to do anything--but I felt that I
wanted to be just alone and think. I should have liked to have my
maid, but----"

"She's one of the witnesses, I suppose," explained Mr. Royce. "Well,
now that I'm here, I shall stay until I've proved how utterly
ridiculous this charge against you is."

She sank back into her chair and looked up at him with dark, appealing
eyes.

"You think you can?" she asked.

"Can! Certainly I can! Why, it's too preposterous to stand for a
moment! We've only to prove an alibi--to show that you were somewhere
else, you know, at the time the crime was committed--and the whole
business falls to pieces in an instant. You can do that easily, can't
you?"

The color had gone from her cheeks again, and she buried her face in
her hands.

"I don't know," she murmured indistinctly. "I must think. Oh, don't
let it come to that!"

I was puzzled--confounded. With her good name, her life, perhaps, in
the bala