le he came closer and closer, and no one ever will
know how I cried and how ashamed I was and how I tried to fight him off.
That's the God's truth, Mag--the God's truth if you ever heard it."

The girl sobbed and hid her face. "Once when papa died he sent me a
hundred dollars through Mr. Brotherton, and mamma thought it came from
the Lodge; but I knew better. And, O Mag, Mag, you'll never know how I
felt to bury papa on that kind of money. And I saved for nearly a year
to pay it back, and of course I couldn't, for he kept getting me
expensive things and I had to get things to go with 'em and went in
debt, and then when I went there in the office it was all so--so close
and I couldn't fight, and he was so powerful--you know just how big and
strong, and--O Mag, Mag, Mag--you'll never know how I tried--but I just
couldn't. Then he made me court reporter and took me over the district."
The girl looked up into the great, soft, beautiful eyes of Margaret
Fenn, and thought she saw sympathy there. That was a common mistake;
others made it in looking at Margaret's eyes. The girl felt encouraged.
She came closer to her one-time friend. "Mag," she said, "they lied
awfully about how I lost my job. They said Mrs. Van Dorn made a row.
Honest, Mag, there's nothing to that. She never even dreamed anything
was--well--was--don't you know. She wasn't a bit jealous, and is as nice
as she can be to me right now. It was this way. You know when I sent
mamma away last May for a visit, and the Van Dorns asked me over there
to stay?" Mrs. Fenn nodded. "Well," continued Violet, "one day in
court--you know when they were trying that bond case--the city bonds and
all--well, the Judge scribbled a note on his desk and handed it to me.
It said my room door creaked, and not to shut it." She stopped and put
her head in her hand and rocked her body. "I know, Mag, it was awful,
but some way I just couldn't help it. He is so strong, and--you know,
Mag, how we used to say there's some men when they come about you just
make you kind of flush all over and weak--well, he's that way. And,
anyway, like a fool I dropped that note and one of the jurors--a farmer
from Union township--picked it up and took it straight to Doctor Jim."

The girl hid her face in her friend's dress. "It was awful." She spoke
without looking up. "But, O Mag--Doctor Jim was fine--so gentle, so
kind. The Judge thought he would cuss around a lot, but he didn't--not
even to him--the Judge sa