d dollars into his pocket, immediately afterward turns
round and accuses him of the crime--nay more, furnishes evidence against
him!"

"You can't expect the same consistency from a woman as from a man. They
can nerve themselves up one moment to any deed of desperation, and take
every pains the next to conceal it by a lie."

"Men will do the same; then why not Mansell?"

"I am showing you why I know that Mansell believes Miss Dare guilty of a
murder. To continue, then. What does he do when he hears that his aunt
has been murdered? He scratches out the face of Miss Dare in a
photograph; he ties up her letters with a black ribbon as if she were
dead and gone to him. Then the scene in the Syracuse depot! The rule of
three works both ways, Mr. Byrd, and if she left her home to solve _her_
doubts, what shall be said of him? The recoil, too--was it less on his
part than hers? And, if she had cause to gather guilt from his manner,
had he not as much cause to gather it from hers? If his mind was full of
suspicion when he met her, it became conviction before he left; and,
bearing that fact in your mind, watch how he henceforth conducted
himself. He does not come to Sibley; the woman he fears to encounter is
there. He hears of Mr. Hildreth's arrest, reads of the discoveries which
led to it, and keeps silent. So would any other man have done in his
place, at least till he saw whether this arrest was likely to end in
trial. But he cannot forget he had been in Sibley on the fatal day, or
that there may be some one who saw his interview with Miss Dare. When
Byrd comes to him, therefore, and tells him he is wanted in Sibley, his
first question is, 'Am I wanted as a witness?' and, even you have
acknowledged, Mr. Ferris, that he seemed surprised to find himself
accused of the crime. But, accused, he takes his course and keeps to it.
Brought to trial, he remembers the curious way in which he crossed the
river, and thus cut short the road to the station; and, seeing in it
great opportunities for a successful defence, chooses Mr. Orcutt for his
counsel, and trusts the secret to him. The trial goes on; acquittal
seems certain, when suddenly she is recalled to the stand, and he hears
words which make him think she is going to betray him by some falsehood,
when, instead of following the lead of the prosecution, she launches
into a personal confession. What does he do? Why, rise and hold up his
hand in a command for her to stop. But she does