e her, without breaking down her
spirit too seriously, when I felt her feverish hand pressing her little
note into my unwilling palm.

"Don't read it," she whispered, innocent of all offence and only anxious
to secure my good offices. "It's for Arthur. I've used the thinnest
paper, so that you can secrete it in something he will be sure to get.
Don't disappoint me. I was sorry for you, too, and glad when they let you
out. Both of you are old playmates of mine, but Arthur--"

I had to tell her; I had to dash her small hopes to the ground.

"Forgive me, Ella," I said, "but I cannot carry him this message or even
get it to him secretly. I am watched myself; I know it, though I have
never really detected the man doing it."

"Oh!" she ejaculated, terror-stricken at once. "Is there any one here,
behind these trees or in the street on the other side of the hedge-row?"

I hastened to reassure her.

"No, no. If I've been followed, it was not so near as that. I cannot do
what you ask for several reasons. Arthur will credit you with the best of
impulses without your incurring any such risk."

"Yes, yes, but that's not enough. What shall I do? What shall I do?"

I strove to help her.

"There is a man," said I, "who sees him constantly and may be induced to
assure Arthur of your belief and continued interest in him. That man is
his lawyer, Mr. Moffat. Any one will tell you how to reach him."

"No, no," she disclaimed, hurriedly, breathlessly. "My last hope was in
you. You wouldn't think the worse of me for--for what I've done; or let
mother know. I couldn't tell a stranger even if he went right to Arthur
with it. I'm not made that way. I couldn't stand the shame." Drawing back
a step she wrung her small hands together, exclaiming, "What an unhappy
girl I am!" Then stepping up to my side, she whispered in my ear: "There
is something I could say which might--"

I stopped her. Right or wrong, I stopped her. I hadn't the courage just
then to face the possibilities of what lay at the end of this simple
sentence. She possessed evidence, or thought she did, which might help to
clear Arthur. Evidence of what? Evidence which would implicate Carmel?
The very thought unnerved me.

"I had rather not be the recipient of this confidence if it is at all
important or at all in the line of testimony. Remember the man I
mentioned. He will be glad to hear of anything helpful to his client."

Her distress mounted to passion.

"It's--it'