lift
of her majestic figure that was as imposing as it was unexpected.

"I was at Professor Darling's house," she declared, with great
steadiness.

Mr. Ferris had not expected this reply, and looked at her for an instant
almost as if he felt inclined to repeat his inquiry.

"Do you doubt my word?" she queried. "Is it possible you question my
truth at a time like this?"

"No, Miss Dare," he gravely assured her. "After the great sacrifice you
have publicly made in the interests of justice, it would be worse than
presumptuous in me to doubt your sincerity now."

She drew a deep breath, and straightened herself still more proudly.

"Then am I to understand you are satisfied with the answer you have
received?"

"Yes, if you will also add that you were in the observatory at Professor
Darling's house," he responded quickly, convinced there was some mystery
here, and seeing but one way to reach it.

"Very well, then, I was," she averred, without hesitation.

"You were!" he echoed, advancing upon her with a slight flush on his
middle-aged cheek, that evinced how difficult it was for him to pursue
this conversation in face of the haughty and repellant bearing she had
assumed. "You will, perhaps, tell me, then, why you did not see and
respond to the girl who came into that room at this very time, with a
message from a lady who waited below to see you?"

"Ah!" she cried, succumbing with a suppressed moan to the inexorable
destiny that pursued her in this man, "you have woven a net for me!"

And she sank again into a chair, where she sat like one stunned, looking
at him with a hollow gaze which filled his heart with compassion, but
which had no power to shake his purpose as a District Attorney.

"Yes," he acknowledged, after a moment, "I have woven a net for you, but
only because I am anxious for the truth, and desirous of furthering the
ends of justice. I am confident you know more about this crime than you
have ever revealed, Miss Dare; that you are acquainted with some fact
that makes you certain Mr. Mansell committed this murder,
notwithstanding the defence advanced in his favor. What is this fact? It
is my office to inquire. True," he admitted, seeing her draw back with
denial written on every line of her white face, "you have a right to
refuse to answer me here, but you will have no right to refuse to answer
me to-morrow when I put the same question to you in the presence of
judge and jury."

"And"--her voice w