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then Wade, besides insulting me, has proved himself a lawbreaker. I have
nothing to do with the consequences of his actions, which rest entirely
with him. You have overheard something that you were not intended to
hear, and as is usually the case, have drawn wrong conclusions. The best
thing you can do now is to try to forget what you have heard and leave
the matter in my hands, where it belongs."

He had spoken dominantly and expected her to yield to his will. He was
totally unprepared, well as he knew her spirit, for what followed.

She faced him with glowing eyes and her trembling lips straightened into
a thin, firm line of determination. He was her father, and she had
always loved him for what she had felt to be his worth; she had given
him the chance to explain, and he had not availed himself of it; he was
content to remain convicted in her eyes, or else, which was more likely,
he could not clear himself. She realized now that, despite what she had
said in pique, only the night before, she really loved Wade, and he, at
least, had done nothing, except free a friend, who, like himself, was
unjustly accused. She could not condemn him for that, any more than she
could forget her father's duplicity.

"I won't forget it!" she cried. "If necessary, I will go to Gordon and
tell him what you've done. I'll tell it to every one in Crawling Water,
if you force me to. I don't want to because, just think what that would
mean to you! But you shall not sacrifice Gordon. Yes, I mean it--I'll
sacrifice you first!"

"Don't talk so loud," the Senator warned her anxiously, going a little
white. "Don't be a fool, Helen. Why, it was only a few hours ago that
you said Wade should be punished."

She laughed hysterically.

"That was only because I wanted to get him away from this awful little
town. I thought that if he were--punished--a little, if he was made a
laughing stock, he might be ashamed, and not want to stay here. Now, I
see that I was wrong. I don't blame him for fighting with every weapon
he can find. I hope he wins!"

Rexhill, who had been really frightened at her hysterical threat of
exposure, and assailed by it in his pride as well, felt his fear begin
to leave him and his confidence in himself return. In the next minute or
two, he thought rapidly and to considerable purpose. In the past he had
resolutely refused to use his child in any way to further his own ends,
but the present occasion was an emergency, and majo