te scorn.

CHAPTER XI

THE CASE AGAINST FRANK MERRILL

Mr. Saul Arthur Mann stood by the window of his office and moodily
watched the traffic passing up and down this busy city street at what
was the busiest hour of the day. He stood there such a long time that
the girl who had sought his help thought he must have forgotten her.

May was pale, and her pallor was emphasized by the black dress she wore.
The terrible happening of a week before had left its impression upon
her. For her it had been a week of sleepless nights, a week's anguish of
mind unspeakable. Everybody had been most kind, and Jasper was as gentle
as a woman. Such was the influence that he exercised over her that she
did not feel any sense of resentment against him, even though she knew
that he was the principal witness for the crown. He was so sincere, so
honest in his sympathy, she told herself.

He was so free from any bitterness against the man who he believed had
killed his best friend and his most generous employer that she could not
sustain the first feeling of resentment she had felt. Perhaps it was
because her great sorrow overshadowed all other emotions; yet she was
free to analyze her friendship with the man who was working day and
night to send the man who loved her to a felon's doom. She could not
understand herself; still less could she understand Jasper.

She looked up again at Mr. Mann as he stood by the window, his hands
clasped behind him; and as she did so he turned slowly and came back to
where she sat. His usually jocund face was lugubrious and worried.

"I have given more thought to this matter than I've given to any other
problem I have tackled," he said. "I believe Mr. Merrill to be falsely
accused, and I have one or two points to make to his counsel which, when
they are brought forward in court, will prove beyond any doubt whatever
that he was innocent. I don't believe that matters are so black against
him as you think. The other side will certainly bring forward the
forgery and the doctored books to supply a motive for the murder.
Inspector Nash is in charge of the case, and he promised to call here at
four o'clock."

He looked at his watch.

"It wants three minutes. Have you any suggestion to offer?"

She shook her head.

"I can floor the prosecution," Mr. Mann went on, "but what I cannot do
is to find the murderer for certain. It is obviously one of three men.
It is either Sergeant Crawley, alias Smith, abo