y you; nothing but my word, and I give you that
solemnly. Make your own inquires among my neighbors whether it's to be
believed."

For several moments Jernyngham fixed his eyes on him, and his suspicions
began to melt away. Truth had rung in Prescott's voice and it was stamped
on his face; no man, he thought, could lie and look as this rancher did.
Even the discovery of the brown clothes appeared less damaging.

"Then there's much to be explained," he said slowly.

"That's so. It will all come to light some day. And now, it's a bitter
morning, the drifts are deep, and the trail lost in snow; Svendsen will
have some trouble in driving you to Leslie's, and you can't go without
food."

Prescott called to Mrs. Svendsen, and she presently brought in breakfast.
Jernyngham ate a little before he got into the buggy and was driven away.
He reached the Leslie homestead greatly disturbed. The painful mystery
was as deep as ever, but he was inclined to think he had been following a
false clue; the man on whom all his suspicions had centered might be
innocent. It was so seldom that he changed his mind that he felt lost in
a maze of doubt, and in his perplexity he told Gertrude what he had found
and related his conversation with Prescott. They were alone and she
listened with fixed attention, studiously hiding her feelings behind an
inscrutable expression.

"I don't know what to think; for perhaps the first time in my life, I'm
utterly at a loss and need a lead," he said. "Everything we have learned
about the man tells against him, and yet I felt I could not doubt his
unsupported assurance. There was a genuine pride in the way he referred
me to his neighbors for his character for truthfulness and one must admit
that a number of them have an unshakable belief in him. Then Colston's
wavering; and Muriel has shown her confidence in the fellow in a striking
manner."

"Ah!" said Gertrude sharply. "You have noticed that?"

"I could hardly fail to do so. It is no affair of mine and perhaps a
breach of good manners to mention it, but if I were in Colston's place, I
should feel disturbed about the way in which his sister-in-law has taken
Prescott's part."

"Why?"

"The reason should be obvious. Leaving the man's guilt or innocence out
of the question, there is his position; I needn't enlarge on it. Muriel's
family is an old and honored one; it would be insufferable that she
should break away from its traditions. Then we know what h