nection with our
extreme poverty."

"Though an inmate of you father's house, you are often away from home?"

"No, very rarely."

"Oblige me by giving a straightforward answer. What do you mean by
rarely?"

"Very seldom."

"This is mere equivocation; will you give me a straightforward reply?"

"I can't make it more so," said Erica, keeping her temper perfectly and
replying to the nagging interrogatories. "Do you mean once a year, twice
a year?" etc., etc., with a steady patience which foiled Mr. Cringer
effectually. He opened a fresh subject.

"Do you remember the 1st of September last year?"

"I do."

"Do you remember what happened then?"

"Partridge shooting began."

There was much laughter at this reply; she made it partly because even
now the comic side of everything struck her, partly because she wanted
to gain time. What in the world was Mr. Cringer driving at?

"Did not something occur that night in Guilford Terrace which you were
anxious to conceal?"

For a moment Erica was dumfounded. It flashed upon her that he knew of
the Haeberlein adventure and meant to serve his purpose by distorting it
into something very different. Luckily she was almost as rapid a thinker
as her father; she saw that there was before her a choice of two evils.
She must either allow Mr. Cringer to put an atrocious construction on
her unqualified "yes" or she must boldly avow Haeberlein's visit.

"With regard to my father there was nothing to conceal," she replied.

"Will you swear that there was NOTHING to conceal?"

"With regard to my father there was nothing to conceal," she replied.

"Don't bandy words with me. Will you repeat my formula 'Nothing to
conceal?'"

"No, I will not repeat that."

"You admit that there WAS something to conceal?"

"If you call Eric Haeberlein 'something' yes."

There was a great sensation in the court at these words. But Mr. Cringer
was nonplused. The mysterious "something," out of which he had intended
to make such capital, was turned into a boldly avowed reality a reality
which would avail him nothing. Moreover, most people would now see
through his very unworthy maneuvers. Furiously he hurled question upon
question at Erica. He surpassed himself in sheer bullying. By this time,
too, she was very weary. The long hours of standing, the insufferable
atmosphere, the incessant stabs at her father's character made the
examination almost intolerable. And the difficulty of answering the f