e court-room was beginning to fill up; the jurymen were taking their
places in the box; the public interest in Stiles _vs._ The Railway
Company had not in the least diminished.

"Your bailiff seems to be a person of extraordinary acuteness," said
Mrs. Tarbell, at length.

"He used to be a sheriff's officer," said Mr. Pope blandly. "If you
like," he continued, "if you choose to attack this release on the ground
of fraud, I won't say a word. I think you're entitled to try it.
Possibly you might prove that the company took an unfair advantage of
your client, that misrepresentations were made to her. Still, I am free
to say that she seems to have signed it with her eyes open."

Mrs. Tarbell, her lips still compressed, raised her head and looked
about the room. As she did so she caught sight of Celandine standing by
the railing. Miss Stiles's face was anxious and downcast: she gave Mrs.
Tarbell an appealing glance.

"Excuse me one moment," said Mrs. Tarbell. She walked over to Miss
Celandine with a rapid step. "Did your mother know what she was doing
when she signed this?" said Mrs. Tarbell.

"Mrs. Tarbell," cried Miss Stiles, "I don't know what I can say to you.
I don't know how I'm ever going to beg your pardon. Ma she's in a
dreadful state; and I'm sure she ought to be, the way I've been talking
to her. She didn't dare to come here this morning; she was ashamed to
have you see her. And, if anything, I'm more ashamed than she, for I
really feel it more. I wonder you have the patience to listen to me."

Here Mrs. Tarbell interrupted. "Never mind that," she said. "Did Mrs.
Stiles do this of her own free will, or was she tricked into it?"

"That's the worst of it, Mrs. Tarbell, that's the worst of it. I can't
get her to say anything but that it was her own fault. To every question
I ask her, she says, 'No; it was my own fault. I just went and did it.'
I can_not_ understand it. Is there no way out of it? It's really, if you
don't mind my saying so, it's on your account I ask. I haven't slept a
wink all night. Ma was taken remorseful before she'd got two steps with
the money. And, do _you_ know, she was late for tea. We were in an awful
state about her; she never came home to dinner. We hunted high and low
for her. She went to Everett Square, and sat down on a bench there,
just--just--penitent. Oh, I _wish_ you could _see_ her! Indeed, if it
wasn't so right down dishonest it would be funny. But is there nothing
to be don