I put together. Nothing could throw her temper off its guard, and I knew that I must look to her for help, because Harry was no longer to be depended on. As soon as I entered the gate in front of the jail, Lottie came out of Viola’s room and beckoned me to her side. “‘Don’t go in there--I wish to have a private chat with you. Viola is asleep now; I had to send for Doctor Dodson soon after you and Harry left. The doctor was obliged to give her an opiate before he could get her to sleep. He fears there is danger of brain fever, but thinks it may be avoided by proper treatment. Why did you let Harry come here to-day when you knew what a condition his mind was in?’ “‘I did my very best to keep him away, but he wouldn’t listen to me. I think he is mad. I told him above all things not to tell Viola what he had heard.’ “‘But what is it you have heard? You must remember that I am totally ignorant as to the cause of all this trouble.’ “I then gave her a full statement of the facts as detailed to us by Dabbs and Tadpoddle. I saw a strange light flash from her beautiful eyes, and her cheeks flushed instantly with a rush of red blood to them. Her pretty little mouth was at once drawn down at both corners. “‘And you and brother Harry swallowed this magnificent story as a child of five years would the hobgoblin story told by its nurse--that is, you believed it, of course.’ “‘Lottie, how could we help believing it, when the proof was so plain? What was Viola doing with Bowles’ letter in her dress pocket? What was she visiting his apartments at the dark hours of night for? Were they not planning schemes of murder? Does not the letter prove this beyond all question? What is the use of clinging to an idea that has no foundation to rest on? If I owned all the money in the world I would give it to know Viola was not guilty.’ “‘Eddie, I love you too much--I wish I didn’t, for I had made up my mind to give you a real good scolding; but how can I have the heart to abuse my old booby when I love him so? But let me tell you one thing now, and be very sure you don’t forget it--if ever you hint or insinuate in my presence again that you think Viola Bramlett is anything but a pure, honest, virtuous, persecuted orphan girl, I’ll make such a rattling storm in your ears as you never have heard in all the days of your life.’ “‘If I were to see her murder a brigade, I’d never say so before you.’ “‘Very good; you had better try to remember that, for I tell you, Mr. Booby, I know her to be innocent; and that is not all, by a long jump--I know exactly who is guilty. You and Harry imagine yourselves to be exceedingly clever. You bring penitentiary birds from Philadelphia, and pay them large rewards to blacken the name of a pure, honest girl. I declare, you ought to congratulate yourselves on the success of your enterprise!’