"Yes, I was there for a little while this afternoon," he answered. "It's rather tame yet, they're still fussing over the jury." "How is Jack bearing it?" she asked. Her question seemed to depress Gilmore. "Why do you care about how he takes it? I don't suppose he sees any fun in it,--he didn't look to me as if he did," he said slowly. "But how did he _seem_ to you?" "Oh, he's got nerve enough, if that's what you mean!" "Poor Jack!" she murmured softly. "If you're curious, why don't you go take a look at poor Jack? He'll be there all right for the next few weeks," said the gambler, watching her narrowly. "I'm afraid Marsh might object." At this Gilmore threw back his head and laughed. "Excuse _me_!" he said; and in explanation of his sudden mirth, he added: "The idea of your trotting out Marsh to me!" "I'm not trotting him out to you,--as you call it," Evelyn said quietly, but her small foot tapped the floor. She intended presently to rid herself of Gilmore for all time. "Yes, but I was afraid you were going to." "You mustn't speak to me as you do; I have done nothing to give you the privilege." Gilmore did not seem at all abashed at this reproof. "If you want to go to the trial I'll take you, and I'll agree to make it all right with Marsh afterward; what do you say?" he asked. Evelyn smiled brightly, but she did not explain to him the utter impossibility of their appearing in public together either at the North trial or anywhere else for the matter of that; there were bounds set even to her reckless disregard of what Mount Hope held to be right and proper. "Oh, no, you're very kind, but I don't think I should care to see poor Jack now." She gave a little shiver of horror as if at the mere idea. This was for the gambler, but her real feeling was far deeper than he, suspicious as he was, could possibly know. "Why do you 'poor Jack' him to me?" said Gilmore sullenly. Evelyn opened her fine eyes in apparent astonishment. "He is one of my oldest friends. I have known him all my life!" she said. "Well, one's friends should keep out of the sort of trouble he's made for himself," observed Gilmore in surly tones. "Yes,--perhaps--" answered Evelyn absently. "Look here, I don't want to talk to you about North anyhow; can't we hit on some other topic?" asked Gilmore. It maddened him even to think of the part the accused man had played in her life. "Why have you and Marsh turned against him?" she asked. The gambler considered for an instant. "Do you really want to know? Well, you see he wasn't square; that does a man up quicker than anything else." "I don't believe it!" she cried. "It's so,--ask Marsh; we found him to be an all-right crook; then's when we quit him," he said, nodding and smiling grimly.