"I thank you, Mr. Brooks," said Don Lane, turning to his counsel. He wondered curiously why the big man should seem so red of face and so perturbed. "What can I do for you--I have not much----" The great face of Hod Brooks flushed yet more. "Don't talk to me about pay, my boy," said he--"don't talk to me about anything. Wait till things straighten out a little. The prosecution's dropped. That's all--or that's enough. Now, listen. I knew you when I saw you come in here! They told me you were dead, but I knew you when first my eyes fell on you. You're like your mother. I've known your mother for years--I think a lot of her and her friend Miss Julia, don't you see? It's strange news to me you are alive, but you are, and that's enough. I must be going now. I'll see you and your mother both. But before I do, just come with me, for I've a little more counsel to give you--it won't cost you anything, and I think it will do some good." He beckoned Don to join him once more in the hall, and what he said required but a moment. An instant later, and old Brooks had hurried down the stair. A part of his words to Don had been overheard by old Silas, but the latter could only wonder what it all might mean. "Aaron," said he, "I ain't no detecative, and don't claim to be, but now, some day if anything should happen--well, I ain't sayin', but I know what I know, and some day, some day, Aaron, I may have to tell." Brooks joined Aurora Lane and Miss Julia and walked with them along the shady street. They walked in silence, Aurora Lane still staring straight ahead, icy cold. It was not until they three halted at her little gate that she could find voice. "How can we thank you?" said she. "How can we pay?" The deep color came into the big man's moody face once more. He waved a hand. "You mustn't talk of that," said he. "I reckon I owe you that much and more--a lot more. I'm not done yet. I've done what I thought was right. But as for the case, I didn't fight it, and I didn't win it--the Judge and I, we just didn't make any fight at all, that's all. We settled it out of court, on terms that suited him, anyhow. I'm sorry for Blackman,--he was just honing to soak that boy the limit! _Your_ boy, Aurora--that ought to have stayed dead, I'm afraid, but didn't. "But peace and dignity," he added--"listen to me--we'll make a Sabbath school out of this town yet! I can't talk very much more now." With a great uproarious laugh, somewhat nervous, very much perturbed, he raised his hat clumsily, turned upon his heel clumsily, and would have walked off clumsily. An exclamation from Miss Julia stopped him. "Where's Don?" asked she. "And what's that over yonder--what does the crowd mean?" She pointed down to the corner of the courthouse square, where indeed a closely packed group was thrusting this way and that, apparently about some center of interest.