im. But it is not
necessary for me to dilate on this point. If I have been successful in
presenting before you the true condition of her mind during this
struggle, you will see for yourself what her feelings must be now that
her lover has himself confessed to a fact, to hide which she made the
greatest sacrifice of which mortal is capable."

Mr. Ferris, who, during this lengthy and exhaustive harangue, had sat
with brooding countenance and an anxious mien, roused himself as the
other ceased, and glanced with a smile at Hickory.

"Well," said he, "that's good reasoning; now let us hear how you will go
to work to demolish it."

The cleared brow, the playful tone of the District Attorney showed the
relieved state of his mind. Byrd's arguments had evidently convinced him
of the innocence of Imogene Dare.

Hickory, seeing it, shook his head with a gloomy air.

"Sir," said he, "I can't demolish it. If I could tell why Mansell fled
from Widow Clemmens' house at five minutes to twelve I might be able to
do so, but that fact stumps me. It is an act consistent with guilt. It
may be consistent with innocence, but, as we don't know all the facts,
we can't say so. But this I do know, that my convictions with regard to
that man have undergone a change. I now as firmly believe in his
innocence as I once did in his guilt."

"What has produced the change?" asked Mr. Ferris.

"Well," said Hickory, "it all lies in this. From the day I heard Miss
Dare accuse him so confidently in the hut, I believed him guilty; from
the moment he withdrew his defence, I believed him innocent."

Mr. Ferris and Mr. Byrd looked at him astonished. He at once brought
down his fist in vigorous assertion on the table.

"I tell you," said he, "that Craik Mansell is innocent. The truth is, he
believes Miss Dare guilty, and so stands his trial, hoping to save her."

"And be hung for her crime?" asked Mr. Ferris.

"No; he thinks his innocence will save him, in spite of the evidence on
which we got him indicted."

But the District Attorney protested at this.

"That can't be," said he; "Mansell has withdrawn the only defence he
had."

"On the contrary," asserted Hickory, "that very thing only proves my
theory true. He is still determined to save Miss Dare by every thing
short of a confession of his own guilt. He won't lie. That man is
innocent."

"And Miss Dare is guilty?" said Byrd.

"Shall I make it clear to you in the way it has become clear to M