ave crept away, since she had been left
alone in a small dusty apartment, adjoining the office where the chief
magistrate of X---daily held court. Too restless to sit still, she
paced up and down the floor, trying to collect her thoughts, and at
last knelt by the side of a table, and laid her weight of dread and
peril before the Throne of the God she trusted. The Father of the
fatherless and Friend of the friendless, would surely protect her in
this hour of intolerable degradation.

"O, Thou that hearest prayer; unto Thee shall all flesh come."

The door opened, and a venerable, gray-haired man approached the table,
where her head was bent upon her crossed arms. When she lifted her
white face, with the violet circles under her dry eyes, making them
appear preternaturally large and luminous, and the beautiful mouth
contracted by a spasm of intense pain, a deep sigh of compassion passed
the stranger's lips.

"I am Mitchell Dent, an old friend of General Darrington's, and of your
mother, who has often sat upon my knee. Because of my affection for
your grandfather, I have asked permission to see you for a few moments.
If you are unjustly accused, I desire to befriend you, and offer you
some advice. I am told you assert your innocence of the great crime of
which you are suspected. I hope you can prove it; but for your own sake
I advise you to waive an examination, and await the action of the Grand
Jury, as you have had no opportunity of consulting counsel, or
preparing your defence."

"You knew my mother? Then you should require no other proof that her
child is not a criminal. I am innocent of every offence against General
Darrington, except that of being my father's daughter; and my
unjustifiable arrest is almost as foul a wrong as his murder."

She drew herself proudly to her full height, and as his eyes dwelt in
irrepressible admiration upon her, his manhood did homage to her grace
and dignity, and he took off his hat.

"I earnestly hope so; and the law holds every person innocent until her
guilt be fully proved and established."

"Of the significance of law terms I know nothing; and of the usages of
courts I am equally ignorant. If, as you suggest, I should waive an
examination, should I escape imprisonment?"

"No."

"Then I must be tried at once; because I want to hurry back to my
mother who is ill, and needs me."

"But you have no counsel as yet, and delay is your best policy."

"Delay might cost my mothe