“It’ll be all right, Jim, don’t worry. She’s a goin’ to help us. She told me so. She’s rich--she’ll get us a lawyer.” Stella climbed the stairs to John’s door with a great voiceless fear in her soul. The thought of his discovery of her betrayal stopped the very beat of her heart. To her surprise she found him strangely calm. “It’s sweet of you to come so early,” he said with a smile. “Love makes one’s feet swift, doesn’t it?” she answered softly. “And beautiful!” he cried. “I’m going to make you happier by giving you more work. Don’t bring me anything more to eat or any more flowers until you’ve made the other fellows comfortable. I’m all right, but a lot of the poor boys who have just come have broken down. Oh, God, if I could have gotten my hands on the throat of the traitor last night!” Never had she seen a more terrible look on a human face. Stella gazed at his convulsed features fascinated with fear. “You’ll help the boys, won’t you, dear, for my sake?” he asked suddenly. “Susie Wilson and her mother will join you.” Stella answered with a start: “Why--of course, John. I’ll go at once.” “And dear!” he called as she turned quickly. “The lawyer whom you engage for me must take all their cases. I’ll stand or fall with my people.” “Yes, I understand.” Stella hurried home with her soul in a tumult of conflicting purposes. She felt it yet too dangerous to confess the dual rôle she had played; yet with each hour’s startling events the agony of fear lest he discover her betrayal became more and more intense. One thing she could do at once. She would make the cause of his men her own, she would make her ministry of love so tender and unselfish, her sacrifices so generous he must hear her plea when the awful moment of her confession should come. She had just given Aunt Julie Ann orders to prepare three meals each day for every man in jail with John, and was about to start for the garden to cut more flowers, when Maggie ushered Susie Wilson into the hall. “I’m so glad you’ve come,” Stella cried. “I was just going to ask you and your mother to help us make those men comfortable who have been put in jail. Mr. Graham was sure you would join me.” Susie stared at Stella for a moment and slowly said: “Is it possible!” “Why, what’s the matter?” Stella asked. “Won’t you sit down?” “I prefer to stand, thank you, and to come straight to the point,” Susie answered with quiet emphasis. “May I ask you some questions?” Stella flushed and her first impulse was to show her questioner to the door, but she felt the dangerous menace in Susie’s tone and knew that she had suspected at least part of the truth. It was necessary to fence. “Why, as many as you like,” she replied with a light laugh. “You have told John Graham that you love him?” “Your question is an impertinence. It’s none of your business.” “I have made it my business.” “Then the sooner you recover your self-respect the better,” Stella sneered.