ariness in her face, but
he seemed to recognize neither. The demon jealousy--that hindrance to
all unselfish feeling--had gripped him again, and the words that came to
his lips were at once bitter and masterful.

"Imogene," he cried, with as much wrath in his tone as he had ever
betrayed in her presence, "you do not answer my question. I ask you what
you have been doing, and you reply, your duty. Now, what do you mean by
duty? Tell me at once and distinctly, for I will no longer be put off
by any roundabout phrases concerning a matter of such vital importance."

"Tell you?" This repetition of his words had a world of secret anguish
in it which he could not help but notice. She did not succumb to it,
however, but continued in another moment: "You said to me, in the last
conversation we held together, that Gouverneur Hildreth could not be
released from his terrible position without a distinct proof of
innocence or the advancement of such evidence against another as should
turn suspicion aside from him into a new and more justifiable quarter. I
could not, any more than he, give a distinct proof of his innocence; but
I could furnish the authorities with testimony calculated to arouse
suspicion in a fresh direction, and I did it. For Gouverneur Hildreth
had to be saved at any price--_at any price_."

The despairing emphasis she laid upon the last phrase went like hot
steel to Mr. Orcutt's heart, and made his eyes blaze with almost
uncontrollable passion.

"_Je ne vois pas la necessite_," said he, in that low, restrained tone
of bitter sarcasm which made his invective so dreaded by opposing
counsel. "If Gouverneur Hildreth finds himself in an unfortunate
position, he has only his own follies and inordinate desire for this
woman's death to thank for it. Because you love him and compassionate
him beyond all measure, that is no reason why you should perjure
yourself, and throw the burden of his shame upon a man as innocent as
Mr. Mansell."

But this tone, though it had made many a witness quail before it,
neither awed nor intimidated her.

"You--you do not understand," came from her white lips. "It is Mr.
Hildreth who is perfectly innocent, and not----" But here she paused.
"You will excuse me from saying more," she said. "You, as a lawyer,
ought to know that I should not be compelled to speak on a subject like
this except under oath."

"Imogene!" A change had passed over Mr. Orcutt. "Imogene, do you mean to
affirm that