she isn't," said Alicia emphatically. "She must be amenable to
reason."

The banker's wife was not altogether bad. Excessive vanity and ambition
had steeled her heart and stifled impulses that were naturally good, but
otherwise she was not wholly devoid of feeling. She was really sorry for
this poor little woman who was fighting so bravely to save her husband.
No doubt she had inveigled Howard into marrying her, but
she--Alicia--had no right to sit in judgment on her for that. If the
girl had been ambitious to marry above her, in what way was she more
guilty than she herself had been in marrying a man she did not love,
simply for his wealth and social position? Besides, Alicia was herself
sorely troubled. Her conscience told her that a word from her might set
the whole matter right. She might be able to prove that Underwood
committed suicide. She knew she was a coward and worse than a coward
because she dare not speak that word. The more she saw her husband's
anger the less courage she had to do it. In any case, she argued to
herself, Howard had confessed. If he shot Underwood there was no
suicide, so why should she incriminate herself needlessly? But there was
no reason why she should not show some sympathy for the poor girl who,
after all, was only doing what any good wife should do. Aloud she
repeated:

"I'll see the girl and talk to her. She must listen to reason."

"Reason!" exploded the banker angrily. "How can you expect reason from a
woman who hounds us, dogs our footsteps, tries to compel us to--take her
up?"

Judge Brewster, who had apparently paid no attention to the banker's
remarks, now turned around. Hesitatingly he said:

"I think you do her an injustice, Jeffries. She comes every day in the
hope that your feelings toward your son have changed. She wishes to give
color to the belief that his father's lawyers are championing his
cause. She was honest enough to tell me so. You know her movements are
closely watched by the newspapers and she takes good care to let the
reporters think that she comes here to discuss with me the details of
her husband's defense."

The banker shifted impatiently on his chair. Contemptuously he said:

"The newspapers which I read don't give her the slightest attention. If
they did I should refuse to read them." With growing irritation he went
on:

"It's no use talking about her any more. What are we going to do about
this latest scandal? This woman is going on the stage