onfronted for the first time in her life with the startling
proposition of "self-sacrifice." She loved Shiel. She wouldn't marry
him for the very simple reason he had no money--but that only added
poignancy to the situation. She loved him all the more. She knew Shiel
loved Gladys Martin. Whether he could ever marry Gladys was another
matter--but he loved her all the same. And the proposition, that had
been so abruptly thrust upon Lilian Rosenberg, was that she should
sacrifice herself, not only to save Gladys Martin from marrying Hamar,
but to pave the way for Shiel, supposing Gladys could reconcile
herself to penury, to marry her himself. In other words she had been
called upon to give up what was, at the moment, dearest to her in the
world, and to court all the inconveniences and worries of being thrown
out of employment--for if she gave evidence that would in any way tend
to damage the firm of Hamar, Curtis & Kelson, she would undoubtedly
lose her post and, in all probability, never get another--at least not
another as good--for the sake of a woman whom she did not know, but,
nevertheless, hated.

Yet there was in her, as there is in almost every girl, however up to
date, a chord that responded to the heroic. A short time back she
would have scoffed at the very thought of self-sacrifice; but now, she
actually caught herself considering it. She kept on considering it,
too, until the trial was well advanced, and had practically made up
her mind to denounce the trio and go to the wall herself, when the
subpoena was served.

CHAPTER XXV

CURTIS IN A NEW ROLE

In an instant, Lilian Rosenberg had decided the course she would
adopt.

"What a disgusting thing to do," she indignantly exclaimed. "I
wouldn't have believed it of Shiel. The idea of forcing me to give
evidence--of forcing me to save the situation for the sake of the
woman he thinks he loves! I shan't do it!"

And she proved as good as her word. Apart from her importance as a
witness, considerable interest attached to her on account of her
appearance--she was infinitely more attractive than any of the women
who had hitherto appeared in the witness-box--though many of them were
so-called Society beauties.

"You were wrong," was the look which Shiel read in H.V. Sevenning's
eyes, as Lilian Rosenberg took the oath. "She is on our side."

But simple as Shiel was in many ways, he knew women better than the
lawyer, and the exceedingly sweet expression