, 1910-07-21

a lew mOntnS, anu now ner nuSDan0
has to face the most awful accusation
that can be brought against a man.
She is plucky in spite of it all. and is
moving heaven and earth in Towards
defense. She believes herself to be in
some measure responsible for his mis-.
fortune. Apart from that. the Ease
interests me from a purely profession
al point of view. There are several
strange features connected with the
case. Sometimes. in spite of Towards
confession. I don't believe he com
mitted that crime"
Alicia changed color and. shifting
uneasily on her chair. scrutinized the
lawyers face. What was behind that
calm. inscrutable mask? What theory
had he formed? One newspaper had
suggested suicide. She might herself
come forward and declare that Rob
ert Underwood had threatened to
take his own life, but how could she
face the scandal which such a course
would involve? She would have to
admit visiting Underwood's rooms at
midnight alone. That surely would
ruin her in the eyes not only of her
husband. but of the whole world. II
this sacrifice of her good name were
necessary to save an innocent mans
life, perhaps h might summon up
enough courage to make it. But, after
all. was by no means sure her
self that Underwood had committed
suicide. Howard had confessed, so
why should she %jeopardize her good
name uselessly?
NO" repeated the Judge, shaking
his head. there's something strange
in the whole affair. I don't believe
Howard had any hand in it"
But he confessed" exclaimed
Alicia.
The Judge shook his head.
That's nothing" he said. There
have been many instances of untrue
confessions. A famous affair of the
kind was the Boorn case in Vermont
Two brothers confessed having killed
their brother-in-law and described
how they destroyed the body, yet
ZONE time afterward the murdered
man turned up alive and well. The
object of the confession, of course,
was to turn the verdict from murder
to m%anslaughter. the circumstantial
evidence against them having been
so strong. In the days of witchcraft
the unfortunate women accused of
being witches were often urged by
relatives to confess as being the only
way Of escape open to them. Ann
Foster. at Salem, in 1892, confessed
that she was a witch. She said the
devil appeared to her in the shape of
a bird, and that she attended a meet.
ing of witches at Salem village. She
was not insane, but the horror of
the accusation brought against he.
had been too much for a weak mind.
Towards confession may possibly be
due to some such influence"
81 hope for his poor fathers sake
said Alicia, that you may be right
and that he may be proved innocent,
but everything is overwhelmingly
against him. | think you are the only
one in New York to express such .
doubt"
Don't forget his wife," remarked
the Judge. dryly.
NO" she replied. II really feel
sorry for the girl myself. VIII you
give her some money II l."
The lawyer shook his head.
she won't take It. / tried 1t. She
wants me to defend her husband|
tried to bride her to go to some other
lawyer. but 1t wouldn't work"
We'll something ought to be done
to stop her annoying us!" exclaimed
Alicia, Indignantly. "Mr. Jeffries suf-
fers terribly. / can hear him pacing
up and down the library till three or
-four in the morning. Poor man, he
suffers so keenly and he won't let any
one sympathize with him. He won't
let me mention his sons name. l feel
we ought to do something. Try and
persuade him to let me see this girl
and-you are his friend as we'll as his
legal adviser"
Judge Brewster bowed.
Your husband is a very old friend,
Mrs. Jeffries. l can't disregard his
wishes entirely"
There was a knock at the door OF
the private ONCE.
Come in," called the Judge.
The door opened and the head
clerk entered, ushering in Howard
Jeffries, Sr. The banker, still aristo-
cratic and digni1ed, but looking tired
and careworn, advanced into the room
and shook hands with the Judge. who
greeted him with a cordial smile.
There was no response on the bank
er's face. Querulously he demanded:
Brewster. what's that woman doing
out there again? It's not the first
time I've met her in this Office"
Alicia looked up eagerly. rs she
ont thera now 7' she cried
What right has she to come here?
What's her object?' vent on the
banker irritatedly.
The lawyer shrugged his shoulders.
THE same old thing" he replied.
She wants me to TAKE her case"
The banker frowned.