Dwight glanced up from the letter he held before him. He read Garner's face in a steady stare for a moment, and then said, with a sigh, as he laid the letter down: “I see you've heard it. Well, I knew it would get out. I've seen it coming for several days.” “I began to guess it a week or so back,” Garner went on, outwardly calm; “but this morning in talking to Pole Baker I became convinced of it. It is a grim sort of thing, my boy, but you must not despair. You've surmounted more obstacles than any young fellow I know, and I believe you will eventually come through this. Though you must acknowledge that it would have been far wiser to have given yourself up at once.” “I couldn't do it,” Carson responded, gloomily. “I thought of it. I started on my way to Braider, really, but finally decided that it wouldn't do.” “Good God! was it as bad as that?” Garner exclaimed. “I've been hoping against hope that you could--” “It couldn't be worse.” Carson lowered his head till it rested on his hand. His face went out of Garner's view. “It's going to kill her, Garner. She can't stand it. Dr. Stone told me that another shock would kill her.” “You mean--my Lord! you mean your _mother?_ You--you”--Garner leaned forward, his face working, his eyes gleaming--“you mean that you did not report it because of her condition? Great God! why didn't I think of that?” “Why, certainly.” Carson looked round. “Did you think it was because--” “I thought it was because you had--had killed him in--well, in a manner you feared would not be adjudged wholly justifiable. I never dreamed of the _real_ reason. I see it all now,” and Garner rose from his chair and with his lips twitching he laid his hand on Dwight's back. “I understand perfectly, and I admire you more than I can say. Now, tell me all about it.” For an hour the two friends sat talking together. Calmly Carson went into detail as to the happening, and when he had finished Garner said: “You've got a good case, but you can easily see that it is grievously hampered by your concealment of the facts so long. To make a jury see exactly how you felt about your mother's reception of the thing may be hard, for the average man is not by nature quite so finely strung as that, but we must _make_ them see it. Dr. Stone's testimony as to his advice to you will help. But, by all means, we must make the advance ourselves as soon as possible--before a charge is brought against you by the grand jury.” v “But”--and Dwight groaned aloud--“my mother simply cannot go through it, Garner. I know her. It will kill her.”