out as she ceased; but
the judge did not need to use his gavel, or the officers of the court
exert their authority. At Mr. Moffat's lifted hand, the turmoil ceased
as if by magic.

"Miss Cumberland, do you often ride out alone on nights like that?"

"I never did before. I would not have dared to do it then, if I had not
taken a certain precaution."

"And what was this precaution?"

"I wore an old coat of my brother's over my dress, and one of his hats
on my head."

It was out--the fact for the suppression of which I had suffered arrest
without a word; because of which Arthur had gone even further, and
submitted to trial with the same constancy. Instinctively, his eyes and
mine met, and, at that moment, there was established between us an
understanding that was in strong contrast to the surrounding turmoil,
which now exceeded all limits, as the highly wrought up spectators
realised that these statements, if corroborated, destroyed one of the
strongest points which had been made by the prosecution. This caused a
stay in the proceedings until order was partially restored, and the
judge's voice could be heard in a warning that the court-room would be
cleared of all spectators if this break of decorum was repeated.

Meanwhile, my own mind had been busy. I had watched Arthur; I had watched
Mr. Moffat. The discouragement of the former, the ill-concealed elation
of the latter, proved the folly of any hope, on my part, that Carmel
would be spared a full explanation of what I would have given worlds to
leave in the darkness and ignorance of the present moment. To save
Arthur, unwilling as he was, she was to be allowed to consummate the
sacrifice which the real generosity of her heart drove her into making.
Before these doors opened again and sent forth the crowd now pulsating
under a preamble of whose terrible sequel none as yet dreamed, I should
have to hear those sweet lips give utterance to the revelation which
would consign her to opprobrium, and break, not only my heart, but her
brother's.

Was there no way to stop it? The district attorney gave no evidence of
suspecting any issue of this sort, nor did the friendly and humane judge.
Only the scheming Moffat knew to what all this was tending, and Moffat
could not be trusted. The case was his and he would gain it if he could.
Tender and obliging as he was in his treatment of the witness, there was
iron under the velvet of his glove. This was his reputation; and this I