“Never mind, dear,” Hugh soothed her, then he turned to Hammond with flashing eyes. “Be careful you don’t go too far, Hammond! I’ve had enough—so has she!” Howard sat as if stunned. He uttered no word, and he stared at the floor, his eyes riveted upon some invisible object. Elinor and Hugh passed him on their way out. “I’m sorry about this, Howard,” Hugh said, trying to speak kindly. “But don’t worry—Hammond will get you out of it all right.” Elinor smiled as she added her mite: “I did the very best I could for you, Howard.” He didn’t attempt to answer either one of them, and was still staring at nothing, when Hammond touched him on the arm. “There, there, my boy—you mustn’t allow this to discourage you,” he said cheerfully. “It only means that it will take longer, and put us to a little more trouble, but such evidence can never convict you.” “I’m not thinking about that, Mr. Hammond—I’m not afraid! I just can’t realize that my sister has really done this terrible thing to me. Why, she didn’t want to have them dismiss me! She was anxious for them to bring in a charge against me! Just think of it—my own sister!” “It does seem terrible, Howard, but she’ll suffer for it a great deal more than you will. At present her mind is filled with but one thought, and that is, revenge. But it won’t be long before remorse will step in.” “I can’t understand her still loving that fellow after it has been proven to her that he was a married man,” Howard said wonderingly. “His intentions toward her were not honorable—and she knew it!” “It’s a strange thing, my boy—but women always seem to love that sort of a man—but it isn’t really love with Elinor. She was infatuated with him true enough, and now she imagines herself the heroine of a tragic love affair. This posing in the limelight isn’t quite as distasteful to her as she would have you think.” “How was it, Mr. Hammond,” Howard questioned, “that you and I saw through her actions instantly when she was on the stand, and yet dad believed her implicitly, and thought she was hysterical and not accountable for what she was saying?” Hammond smiled knowingly. “Your father believed her because he wanted to believe her. But now, my boy, we must telephone your mother.” “Poor mother! Can you imagine the shock this will be to her? She thought it would all be over in a few hours, and now, there may be months of anxiety ahead of her.” “Oh no,” Hammond hastened to assure him, “it will never take that long. We’ll have it rushed through as expeditiously as possible. Come, boy,” and the hand he laid on the stricken youth’s shoulder held all the gentleness and sympathy the father had denied. * * * * *