ir and beard,
but with form erect and vigorous, and with piercing eyes which met
those of Ralph Mainwaring with a flash, not of recognition alone,
but of disdain and defiance that seemed to challenge him to do his
utmost.

With a muttered oath, the latter half rose from his chair, but at
that instant his attention was arrested by the two men bringing up
the rear; one, small and of uncertain age, the other, older even
than he appeared, and bearing the unmistakable air of an English
servant. As Ralph Mainwaring recognized James Wilson, the last
relic of the old Mainwaring household, he suddenly grew pale and
sank back into his chair, silent, watchful, and determined; while
his son and the attorney, quick to note the change in his appearance,
made neither inquiries nor comments, but each drew his own
conclusion.

There was one other to whom the white-haired gentleman did not seem
an utter stranger. Mrs. LaGrange from her post of observation had
watched the entering party with visible signs of excitement. Her
lips curled in a mocking smile as she caught sight of the secretary,
but glancing from him to his companion, she involuntarily recoiled
in terror, yet gazed like one fascinated, unable to remove her eyes
from his face. Suddenly the piercing eyes met her own, their look
of astonishment quickly changing to scorn. She flushed, then paled,
but her eyes never faltered, flashing back mocking defiance to his
anger and scorn for scorn.

Meanwhile, the quondam secretary, seated between the attorneys on
the one hand and his elderly companion on the other, seemed alike
unconscious of the many curious glances cast in his direction and
of the dark looks of Ralph Mainwaring now fastened on him. At a
little distance was the old servant, his immovable features expressing
the utmost indifference to his surroundings, looking neither to the
right hand nor to the left.

Not so with the remaining member of the party, the so-called "clerk!"
Seated beside the English barrister, his eye seemed to sweep the
entire court-room with a glance that omitted no details, not even
the cringing form of Hobson, who quailed and seemed to be trying to
shrink still further into concealment as he felt himself included
in the search-light of that gaze. But no one saw the slip of paper
which, a moment later, was handed to Alfred Barton, and by him
passed to Mr. Sutherland. There was a hurried filling out of blanks
lying among the papers on the t