“I could not help it,” she answered. “I had to come, I could stay away from you no longer. You do not know how I have suffered. It seems as if a lifetime had elapsed since we parted. At last I managed to persuade papa to bring me up. My poor boy, how ill you look! How you must have suffered!” “Never mind about that, dear,” said Godfrey. “If it all comes right in the end, we can afford to suffer a little. Now tell me of yourself; you don’t know how hungry I am for news.” “No, don’t let us talk of myself,” she answered. “I want to talk about you and your affairs. Do you know that this morning I saw Mr. Codey, your lawyer, for the first time? He was introduced to me by papa.” “And what did he say to you?” Godfrey inquired, with natural interest. “I am afraid there is not much to tell,” said Molly. “When I asked him if he thought we should be able to prove your innocence, he said, ‘That’s a thing we shall have to see about; but I don’t mind going so far as to promise you, that, unless there’s anything else that I don’t know of, you and Mr. Henderson will eat your Christmas dinner together next year!’ I asked him and implored him to tell me more, but I could not get anything else out of him.” Godfrey felt his heart beat more hopefully. It was something, indeed, to know that Codey took such a bright view of the case. Then Molly went on to give him the latest news of his mother and sister. The old lady, it appeared, was suffering a great deal on her dear boy’s account; but she firmly believed that in the end he would be acquitted. “It makes me so sad to see her,” said Molly. “As you may suppose, I spend the greater part of my time there now, and I think we help and comfort each other.” “God bless you for your goodness to them, dear!” replied Godfrey. “I know what it must mean to them to have you with them.” “And now, Molly,” said Sir Vivian, rising from his chair, “I am afraid we must go. We were only allowed a short time with you, and we must not exceed it. Good-bye, my boy, and may God bless you! Don’t be down-hearted; we’ll prove your innocence yet.” “You still believe in me, Sir Vivian?” he asked. “As firmly as ever,” the other answered. “I should not be here if I did not. And now, Molly, you must come along.” Godfrey kissed his sweetheart, and wished her good-bye. When she had left the room, all the sunshine seemed to have gone out of it, and with a heavy heart he went back to the gloom of his prison life again. CHAPTER XIII