She moved toward him, her hands uplifted, hope in her face. "A man’s mind lies to him, and why not his eyes?" the Judge continued. Florence caught him by the arm and looked appealingly at him. "But your brother, Florence—your brother. He saw him, too." "What!" she cried, stepping back. "Brother saw him! You didn’t tell me that." "I promised him I would not tell you." "Ah, you break your promises and expect me to keep mine. I will go this moment and tell his mother." He caught her arm and poured out a distressful imploration, a prayer. "I would rather you’d stab me," he said, concluding. "I would rather you’d kill us both. But I didn’t swear, Florence. You have taken an oath." "Judge, that is cowardly." "Yes, it is. I am a coward—but only for her. A bitter word, Florence." "Yes, forgive me. I didn’t mean that. You are not a coward, but you are blind." He held forth his hands. She stepped back, shaking her head. "All gone," said he, "all respect, all confidence. And you were my daughter." "I was." "In love and in duty," he said. "In both," she replied. "In both, yes, and now love is gasping and duty has become a hard master." Suddenly she sprang toward him. "Brother saw him! I am just beginning to realize what you said. I don’t believe it. His eyes lied, too." "Oh, beautiful faith, it would move a mountain." "It would pluck a mote from an eye. May I go now?" "I am not on the bench to discharge or restrain you. But, just a moment. You feel that I am a tyrant. That could not have been possible with your former self. What is so cold as frozen gentleness? And now it is only through the frost-crusted windows that I can catch a glimpse of your other spirit." "In the hall, yesterday," she said, "I thought that I heard a lurking echo of your old laughter." He made a gesture of distress. "Don’t remind me of it," he said. "May I go?" "Yes. But let me ask you one more favor. Don’t tell your brother that I mentioned him." "Another chain," she said. *CHAPTER XXIII.* *THE LIGHT BREAKS.* The Judge turned and saw Bradley in the door. His appearance at any moment was not in the nature of a surprise. Agnes said that she expected him at most unexpected times. He no doubt regarded himself as a brave man, and perhaps he was; it required courage to be so timidly persistent. "I hope I don’t intrude," said the preacher. "Oh, not at all. Come in." "Miss Agnes is out for a walk, I understand," said Bradley, sitting down.