cenes
here."

Manacled to Officer Delaney and escorted on the other side by Maloney,
Howard made his way toward the door. Just as he reached it he caught
sight of his wife who, with tears streaming down her cheeks, was
watching him as if in a dream. To her it seemed like some hideous
nightmare from which both would soon awaken. Howard recognized her, yet
seemed too dazed to wonder how she came there. He simply blurted out as
he passed:

"Something's happened, Annie, dear. I--Underwood--I don't quite
know----"

The policemen pushed him through the door, which closed behind him.

CHAPTER XI.

Unable to control herself any longer, Annie broke down completely and
burst into tears. When the door opened and she saw her husband led away,
pale and trembling, between those two burly policemen, it was as if all
she cared for on earth had gone out of her life forever. Captain Clinton
laid his hand gently on her shoulder. With more sympathy in his face
than was his custom to display, he said:

"Now, little woman--t'ain't no kind of use carrying on like that! If you
want to help your husband and get him out of his trouble you want to get
busy. Sitting there crying your eyes out won't do him any good."

Annie threw up her head. Her eyes were red, but they were dry now. Her
face was set and determined. The captain was right. Only foolish women
weep and wail when misfortune knocks at their door. The right sort of
women go bravely out and make a fight for liberty and honor. Howard was
innocent. She was convinced of that, no matter how black things looked
against him. She would not leave a stone unturned till she had regained
for him his liberty. With renewed hope in her heart and resolution in
her face, she turned to confront the captain.

"What has he done?" she demanded.

"Killed his friend, Robert Underwood."

He watched her face closely to see what effect his words would have on
her.

"Robert Underwood dead!" exclaimed Annie with more surprise than
emotion.

"Yes," said the captain sternly, "and your husband, Howard Jeffries,
killed him."

"That's not true! I'd never believe that," said Annie promptly.

"He's made a full confession," went on the captain.

"A confession!" she echoed uneasily. "What do you mean?"

"Just what I say. Your husband has made a full confession, in the
presence of witnesses, that he came here to Underwood's rooms to ask for
money. They quarreled. Your husband drew a pistol and s