d, if it was not actually induced, by the
interview which we have just been considering."

Her eyes took on fresh light; she looked at Mr. Ferris as if she would
read his soul.

"Can it be possible----" she breathed, but stopped as suddenly as she
began. The District Attorney was not the man from whom she could hope to
obtain any opinion in reference to the prisoner's innocence.

Mr. Ferris, noting her hesitation and understanding it too, perhaps,
moved toward her with a certain kindly dignity, saying:

"I should be glad to utter words that would give you some comfort, Miss
Dare, but in the present state of affairs I do not feel as if I could go
farther than bid you trust in the justice and wisdom of those who have
this matter in charge. As for your own wretched and uncalled-for action
in court to-day, it was a madness which I hope will be speedily
forgotten, or, if not forgotten, laid to a despair almost too heavy for
mortal strength to endure."

"Thank you," she murmured; but her look, the poise of her head, the
color that quivered through the pallor of her cheek, showed she was not
thinking of herself. Doubt, the first which had visited her since she
became convinced that Craik Mansell was the destroyer of his aunt's
life, had cast a momentary gleam over her thoughts, and she was
conscious of but one wish, and that was to understand the feelings of
the men before her.

But she soon saw the hopelessness of this, and, sinking back again into
her old distress as she realized how much reason she still had for
believing Craik Mansell guilty, she threw a hurried look toward the door
as if anxious to escape from the eyes and ears of men interested, as she
knew, in gleaning her every thought and sounding her every impulse.

Mr. Ferris at once comprehended her intention, and courteously advanced.

"Do you wish to return home?" he asked.

"If a carriage can be obtained."

"There can be no difficulty about that," he answered; and he gave
Hickory a look, and whispered a word to Mr. Byrd, that sent them both
speedily from the room.

When he was left alone with her, he said:

"Before you leave my presence, Miss Dare, I wish to urge upon you the
necessity of patience. Any sudden or violent act on your part now would
result in no good, and lead to much evil. Let me, then, pray you to
remain quiet in your home, confident that Mr. Orcutt and myself will do
all in our power to insure justice and make the truth evident."