e had made up his mind that this man was innocent.
Innocent he must therefore be proved. As to his defending himself, that
was all nonsense. He would see to that. Dewes should be instructed.

The committal was read out, and Bernard Maddison was removed from the
court. On the following day he was to be taken to York, there to be
tried at the forthcoming assizes. Mr. Thurwell bade him keep up his
courage in a tone which, though it was intended to be cheerful, was not
particularly sanguine. There was but one opinion in the court, and
despite all his efforts its influence had a certain effect upon him. But
Bernard Maddison never carried himself more proudly than when he bowed
to Lord Lathon, and left the court that morning.

At home Helen was eagerly waiting for the news. She had no need to ask,
for her father's face was eloquent.

"Is it--very bad?" she whispered.

He looked away from her with a queer feeling in his throat. To see his
daughter, who had always been so quiet, and self-contained, and
dignified--his princess, he had been used to call her--to see her
trembling with nervous fear, was a new and terrible thing to him, and to
be able to offer her no comfort was worse still. But what could he say?

"The evidence was rather bad," he admitted, "and only a portion of it
was produced. Still, we must hope for the best."

"Please tell me all about it," she begged, very quietly, but with a look
in her white face which made him turn away from her with a groan. But he
obeyed, and told her everything. And then there was a long silence.

"How did he look?" she asked, after a while.

"Very pale; but he behaved in a most dignified manner throughout," he
told her. "He must be well born. I wonder what or where his people are?
I never heard of any of them. Did you?"

She shook her head.

"He told me once that he had no friends, and no relations, and no name
save the one which he had made for himself," she said. "I don't know
whether he meant that Maddison was not his real name, or whether he
meant simply his reputation."

"There must be people in London who know all about him," Mr. Thurwell
remarked. "A man of his celebrity can scarcely conceal his family
history."

Helen had walked a little away, and was standing before the window,
looking out with listless eyes.

"Father, I wonder whether Sir Allan Beaumerville has anything to do with
this?" she said. "Has he ever hinted to you that he suspected Mr.
Maddison?"