means the power of life and death over men!

"The man who has fallen was weak and poor. The man who demands his life
is rich and powerful. You are the judge between them. The man who fell
stood alone grappling Death and Hell, fought and lost his battle once.
I appeal, your honour, to the higher law of the soul within you, within
me, within this prisoner, within the breast even of his enemy--through
struggle alone we triumph at last! I ask for a heartbroken man another
chance. I ask this court to suspend all sentence against the poor
bruised and bleeding spirit that lies in tears at our feet to-day."

Stuart suddenly sat down amid a silence that was painful. A woman's sob
at last broke the stillness.

The judge wheeled in his armchair, cleared his throat and looked out of
the window to hide from the crowd a tear that had stolen down his
furrowed cheek.

He turned at length to Bivens's lawyers and quietly asked:

"The State insists on the enforcement of sentence without mercy?"

"Absolutely," was the sharp answer.

"This is your desire, Mr. Bivens?" the judge asked with some severity.

"Yes," the financier fiercely replied.

"And yet you say that you are a Christian--well, see to it--your Master
says:

"'He that saith I love God and hateth his brother is a liar.' Henry
Woodman, stand up!"

"The judgment of this court is that sentence in your case be suspended
so long as you obey the law."

A murmur of applause rippled the crowd, and a muttered oath fell from
Bivens's livid lips.

"And I may say to you, Henry Woodman, that my faith is profound that
you will never appear in this court again. And if you ever need the
help of a friend you'll find one if you come to me. You are a free
man."

Stuart hurried the doctor out of the crowd. He had important work yet
to do. He determined that no story of the scene should ever be printed
in a New York paper. He would save Harriet that, too.

As the court adjourned Bivens cursed his lawyers in a paroxysm of
helpless rage.

"Why didn't you appeal?" he stormed.

"There is no appeal. The case is ended."

"Ended!" The financier gasped.

"Ended."

Bivens suddenly threw his hand to his forehead, staggered and sank to
the floor.

A doctor who was near rushed to his side and lifted his head into his
wife's arms.

"What is it? Has he fainted, doctor?" she whispered, glancing toward
the door through which Stuart had just passed.

"He has had a stroke of paralysis,