esence.

Esme rose slowly to her feet as Hal entered. She had planned a
leading-up to her subject, but at sight of him she was startled out of
any greeting, even.

"Oh, how thin you look, and tired!" she exclaimed.

"Strenuous days, these," he answered. "I didn't expect to see you here.
Where's Ellis?"

"Upstairs. Don't go. I want to speak to you. Sit down there."

At her direction Hal drew up a chair. She took the corner of the lounge
near by and regarded him silently from under puckered brows.

"Is it about Ellis?" said Hal, alarmed at her hesitation.

"No. It is about Mr. Pierce. There won't be any libel suit."

"What!"

"No." She shook her head in reassurance of his evident incredulity.
"You've nothing to worry about, there."

"How can you know?"

"From Kathie."

"Did her father tell her?"

"She told her father. There's a dreadful quarrel."

"I don't understand at all."

"Kathie absolutely refuses to testify for her father. She says that the
accident was her own fault, and if there's a trial she will tell the
truth."

Before she had finished, Hal was on his feet. Her heart smote her as she
saw the gray worry pass from his face and his shoulders square as from
the relief of a burden lifted, "Has it lain so heavy on your mind?" she
asked pitifully.

"If you knew!" He walked half the length of the long room, then turned
abruptly. "You did that," he said. "You persuaded her."

"No. I didn't, indeed."

The eager light faded in his face. "Of course not. Why should you
after--Do you mind telling me how it happened?"

"It isn't my secret. But--but she has come to care very much for some
one, and it is his influence."

"Wonderful!" He laughed boyishly. "I want to go out and run around and
howl. Would you mind joining me in the college yell? Does Mac know?"

"Nobody knows but you."

"That's why Pierce kept postponing. And I, living under the shadow of
this! How can I thank you!"

"Don't thank me," she said with an effort. "I--I've known it for weeks.
I meant to tell you long ago, but I thought you'd have learned it before
now--and--and it was made hard for me."

"Was that what you had to tell me about the paper, when you asked me to
come to see you?"

She nodded.

"But how could I come?" he burst out. "I suppose there's no use--I must
go and tell Mac about this."

"Wait," she said.

He stopped, gazing at her doubtfully.

"I'm tearing down the tenement at Number 9."

"Tearing it down