"I do not understand it. Why should such a great man as he have desired the death of a woman like her? He said it was all for my sake. What did he mean, Helen?" "Don't you know?" questioned the other, anxiously. "How should I? It is the mystery of mysteries to me." "Ah, then you did not suspect that she was his wife?" "His wife!" Imogene rose in horror. "Yes," repeated the little bride with decision. "She was his lawfully wedded wife. They were married as long ago as when we were little children." "Married! And he dared to approach me with words of love! Dared to offer himself to me as a husband while his hands were still wet with the life-blood of his wife! O the horror of it! The amazing wickedness and presumption of it!" "He is dead," whispered the gentle little lady at her side. With a sigh of suppressed feeling, Imogene sank back. "I must not think of him," she cried. "I am not strong enough. I must think only of Craik. He has been acquitted, you say--acquitted." "Yes, and the whole town is rejoicing." A smile, exquisite as it was rare, swept like a sunbeam over Imogene's lips. "And I rejoice with the rest," she cried. Then, as if she felt all speech to be a mockery, she remained for a long time silent, gazing with ever-deepening expression into the space before her, till Helen did not know whether the awe she felt creeping over her sprang from admiration of her companion's suddenly awakened beauty or from a recognition of the depths of that companion's emotions. At last Imogene spoke: "How came Mr. Mansell to be _acquitted_? Mr. Gryce did not tell me to look for any such reinstatement as that. The most he bade me expect was that Mr. Ferris would decline to prosecute Mr. Mansell any further, in which event he would be discharged." "I know," said Helen, "but Mr. Mansell was not satisfied with that. He demanded a verdict from the jury. So Mr. Ferris, with great generosity, asked the Judge to recommend the jury to bring in a verdict of acquittal, and when the Judge hesitated to do this, the foreman of the jury himself rose, and intimated that he thought the jury were ready with their verdict. The Judge took advantage of this, and the result was a triumphant acquittal." "O Helen, Helen!" "That was just an hour ago," cried the little lady, brightly, "but the people are not through shouting yet. There has been a great excitement in town these last few days." "And I knew nothing of it!" exclaimed Imogene. Suddenly she looked at Helen. "How did you hear about what took place in the court-room to-day?" she asked. "Mr. Byrd told me." "Ah, Mr. Byrd?" "He came to leave a good-bye for you. He goes home this afternoon." "I should like to have seen Mr. Byrd," said Imogene. "Would you?" queried the little lady, quietly shaking her head. "I don't know; I think it is just as well you did not see him," said she.