he door you saw
me with my hands on Mr. Gaviller. How could you see me?"

"With my electric flash-light," Strange instantly answered.

"That's a lie," said Ambrose. "The flash-light was mine. I can prove
it by a dozen witnesses."

"Produce it," said Strange sneering.

"You knocked it out of my hand," said Ambrose. "It will be found
somewhere on the floor up-stairs."

Strange drew his hand out of his pocket. "On the contrary, it is
here," he said. "And it has never been out of my possession. As to
your identifying it, there are dozens like it in the country. It is
the style all the stores carry."

Ambrose shrugged. "I've nothing more to say," he said. "The man is a
liar. The truth is bound to come out in the end."

The white men paid little attention to this, but it stung Strange to
reply. "If Mr. Gaviller were able to speak he'd soon decide between
us!"

At that moment, as if Strange's speech had evoked, him, they heard
Giddings in the hall.

"Has he spoken?" they asked breathlessly.

Colina kept her eyes hidden.

Giddings nodded. "He sent me down-stairs to order Macfarlane to arrest
Doane."

Colina fell back against the door-frame with a hand to her breast.
"Did he--did he _see_ him?" she whispered.

"No," said Giddings reluctantly. "He did not see his assailant. But
said to accuse Strange of the deed was the act of a desperate criminal."

"You're under arrest!" Macfarlane said bruskly to Ambrose. Turning to
Colina, he added deprecatingly: "You had better leave the room, Miss
Gaviller."

She shook her head. Clearly speech was beyond her. Not once during
the scene had Ambrose been able to see her eyes, Macfarlane waited a
moment for her to go, then shrugged deprecatingly.

"Will you submit to handcuffs or must I force you?" he demanded of
Ambrose.

Ambrose did not hear him. His eyes were fastened on Colina. So long
as he was tortured by a doubt of her he was oblivious to everything
else.

The heart knows no logic. It deals directly with the heart. Love
looks for loyalty as its due. Ambrose was amazed and incredulous and
sickened by his love's apparent faint-heartedness.

"Colina!" he cried indignantly, "have you nothing to say? Do you
believe this lie?"

Her agonized eyes flew to his--full of passionate gratitude to hear him
defend himself. His scorn both abased and overjoyed her. Her heart
knew.

None of the others recognized what was passing in those glances.