lent, still staring. Then Godfrey drew a
deep breath.

"I feared so!" he said. "Miss Vaughan has become a convert!"

And he led the way down the ladder.

CHAPTER XX

CHECKMATE!

I was honestly glad to get back to the office, next morning, for I
felt the need of work--absorbing work--to take my mind off the problem
of Worthington Vaughan's death, and especially to relieve me from the
depression into which his daughter's inexplicable conduct had plunged
me. When I thought of her, it was with impatience and aversion, for I
felt that she had deserted to the enemy and turned her back upon the
man who loved her, in the hour of his utmost need.

As I saw it, her conduct was little short of heartless. She had
summoned her lover to her side, and he had come; instantly and without
hesitation, without pausing to consider the danger to himself, he had
answered her call; in consequence of that high devotion, he was now in
prison, charged with a dreadful crime; but, instead of hastening to
him, instead of standing by his side and proclaiming to the whole
world her belief in his innocence, she deliberately stood aloof. It
was almost as if she herself believed in his guilt! The world, at
least, could draw no other inference.

But she had done more than that. She had abandoned herself to the
fate from which he had tried to save her. Her presence at Silva's side
could have only one meaning--she had become his disciple, had accepted
his faith, was ready to follow him. The thought turned me sick at
heart, for her as well as for Swain, but for Swain most of all, for he
had done nothing to merit such misfortune, while she, at least, had
chosen her road and was following it with open eyes. Small wonder that
I thought of her with anger and resentment, yes, and with a vague
distrust, for, at the very back of my mind was the suspicion that she
had been a decoy to lure Swain to his destruction.

I threw myself feverishly into the work which had accumulated at the
office, in order to tear my mind away from thoughts like these; but
when Mr. Royce arrived, I had to go over the case with him, and I have
seldom seen a man more puzzled or astonished.

"I shall defend Swain, of course," I concluded, "and I'm hoping that
something in his favour will turn up before long, but I haven't the
remotest idea what it will be. He can't be tried till fall, and
meanwhile I'm afraid he'll have to stay in jail."

"Yes; I see no way of getting him