nst
them, or by stating your opinion in Court. There is only one way of
staying the trio from doing this dastardly thing, and that is by
getting this case, which is now being tried, to go against them."

"Well, and supposing, by some chance, the defendants should win! What
would become of me?"

"Ah! that is where your self-sacrifice would come in! It would be a
noble action."

"How does this wrong, you say they are about to perpetrate, touch on
you personally?"

"It touches on some one with whom I am personally acquainted."

"Some one you like?"

"Yes!"

"A relation?"

"That I can't say."

"Then I can't help you. I am naturally inquisitive; curiosity is, as
you know, a woman's privilege. You must tell me all."

"It's for a friend, then!"

"A man?"

"No," Shiel replied, "for a girl!"

There was an emphatic silence, and then Lilian Rosenberg spoke.

"Have I ever heard you mention her?"

"Occasionally," Shiel replied.

There was silence again. Then Lilian Rosenberg said slowly--

"You surely don't mean Gladys Martin! I can think of no one else."

"I do mean her!" Shiel replied, dropping his eyes. "She is to be
coerced into marrying Hamar."

"The silly fool!" Lilian Rosenberg said. "I would like to see any one
trying to coerce me. And it is to serve _her_ you want me to sacrifice
myself." And she turned away in disgust.

After this interview, Lilian studiously avoided Shiel; and despairing,
at length, of ever winning her over, Shiel reported his failure to
H.V. Sevenning.

"We must subpoena her," said Sevenning.

"You'll never get her to speak that way," Shiel said. "If once she has
made up her mind not to do a thing, nothing will ever compel her."

"I have heard that said of people before," H.V. Sevenning replied
dryly, "but it's wonderful what the witness-box can do; it loosens the
most mulish tongues in a marvellous manner."

"It wouldn't hers," Shiel maintained.

H.V. Sevenning, however, thought he knew best--what lawyer doesn't?
Moreover, it was all part of the game--the great game of becoming
notorious at all costs. He served the subpoena.

Like most modern girls, Lilian Rosenberg was wholly selfish; and for
this fault only her parents were to blame. She had been brought up
with the one idea of pleasing herself, of saying and doing exactly
what she thought fit; and no one had ever thwarted her. Now, however,
the unforeseen had happened. She was smitten with the grand passion,
and c