Counsel for the Defense

ont of the train. She was lithe and graceful, rather tall and slender, and was dressed with effective simplicity in a blue tailored suit and a tan straw hat with a sin

their respective board and bed. There was the shirt-sleeved figure of Jim Ludlow, ticket agent and tenor of the Presbyterian choir. And leaning cross-legged beneath the station eaves, giving the effect of supporting the low roof, were half a dozen slowly mast

a street car, when up the long, broad platform there came hurrying a short-legged little man, with a bloodshot, watery eye. He paused hesitant at a couple of ya

smiled back and

ou do, Mr

ss Katherine,"

ther anywhere?" s

was to meet you and fetch you hom

r ill?" s

fumbled his a

ick. He's just porely. I guess

to the back of the station where stood a tottering surrey and a dingy gray nag, far gone in years, that leaned upon its shafts as though on

y back amid their little squares of close-cropped lawn. She liked New York with that adoptive liking one acquires for the place one choo

be back in Westville again

ess it's all of two yea

g to be a great celebratio

stily struck the ancient s

her home. At length it came into view-one of those big, square, old-fashioned wooden houses, built with no perceptible architectural idea

ried up the brick-paved path to the house. As she crossed the porch, a slight, gray, Quakerish little lady, with a white k

you, auntie!" she

answered in a thin, tremu

ngth. "But you, auntie?" She grew serious. "You look very tired-and very, very worn an

better," the old woman falt

itting-room. Katherine's hat and

stion, or tell you a thing, Aunt Rachel

y, but her aunt caught h

ne! Thee musn'

atter?" Katherine

ter for him if thee

one can soothe him as I c

now. He didn't sleep

." Katherine turned back.

was gazing at her in wid

t's the matt

did not a

at is it? Wh

ld woman di

Katherine. She clutched her aunt's thin sh

all over, and tears sta

she q

herine asked frantica

s worse t

What is

" she said piteously, and she sank

and fairly shook her in t

't stand this a

't going to be a

elebr

hy father-wa

res

d for accept

ne shra

body tensed, and her dark eyes flashed fire.

eems true to

ed Katherine. "But i

t me go

ine caught h

l me all

't make me.

must

papers-they're on

per. At sight of the sheet she had picked up,

sought to draw the paper from Katherine's hand

n across the top of the Express. It staggered her.

orst they have t

erine; in her work with the Municipal League she had every few days met with just such a tale as this. But that which is a commonplace when stra

eavy-faced type, the lines two columns wide; and in a "box" in the very centre of the first page was an editorial denouncing Doctor West and demanding for him such severe punishment as would

he cried. "It's brutal! Brutal! Who could have

nold Bruce," an

hole slender being flamed with anger and hatred, and she cr

d herself on the back of a chair and stared in desperate,

?" she

es

g-"auntie, the-the things-this paper

d head

into a chair, and buried her face in her arms.

the old woman rose and gently put a h

t did happen, I can't b

s a soft noise, as of feet placed

s, slippered pacing. "Father!" she repeated,

shame. But she summoned her strength and noiselessly opened the door. It was a large room, a hybrid of bedroom and study, whose drawn shades had di

figure in a quilted dressing-gown. He reached the end o

ed toward her; but he came abruptly to a pause, hes

t away by a rising flood of love. She spran

he sobbed.

ead, felt his body quiver, and fe

-then?" he as

om the

e, but for a mom

appy celebration-I'v

cry convulsivel

red, "your old father-could

d into his face. The face was worn-she thrilled with pain to see how sadly worn it was!-but though tear-wet and working wi

her. She clutched his shoulders, and

ou are no

ieve in

lty!" she cried

led fa

ourse not,

gain she caught him

she leaned ba

e me, daddy dear, that I could

They say the evidence ag

nst all the evidence in the world! And I

you, Ka

ame about. But, first, let's b

g bay window, raised the shades and threw up the sashes. The sunlight slanted down into the room and lay in a dazzling yellow squar

hat better?" she sa

ing has done for me," he said g

g with flattery! Now, sir, sit down," and she pointed t

ile-"if I may, I'd like to

is a daughter's command," s

n a simple knot low upon the neck, showing in its full beauty the rare modelling of her head. The eyes were a rich, warm, luminous brown, fringed with long lashes, and in them lurked all manner of fathomless mys

slowly and softly, "that my

th pleasure, and pressed her fresh cheek again

rine's years and made in her image, dressed in the tight-fitting "basque" of the early eighties. Westville knew that Doctor West had loved his wife dearly, but the town

is chair at the desk, sat down in

ell me just how

rything alrea

ther side, and I know your innocence. But I

ough his silver hair, an

t you have read, except that I

o back to the very beginning, father, and run over the whole affair. Try to remember

peak for a m

ay something about its being worth

to bribe you. And wh

r, if it was one, did not make any impression on

pproved hi

es

he offered you a bribe. You approved his filter. On the

his filter, when it was the very best on the

ou come to acce

an's face

g to make a little donation to our hospital. I'm one of the directors, you know. So, when he handed me

hat is

I explained the matter to the pros

the hand that she held. "But, again speaking legally, it wouldn't sou

le affair must b

e to prove it." She thought a space. "Could

eyes widened w

is Mr. Sherman. You surely do not think he would let himself be involved i

ng the four years he has been here

your dearest frie

siastical Sir Galahad. And I must admit that he has see

is thoroughly honest in this affair? That

ceive of him knowi

to think it's only just a

onsidered the idea. "But

cheeks

lawyer," he

ting to consult me a

ok his

ve approache

and Williams, and Freeman

es

they could no

your case!" she

ses. But their excuses we

hat wa

lushed yet mo

gainst political corruption is sweeping across the country. This is the first big case that has come out in Westville

nstinctivel

awful!

as handled it has espe

awyers are afraid

West

ark eyes glow

try any o

came to see

ripped his hand, and her voice rang out: "Father, I'm glad those men refused yo

an Mr.

Mr.

, of course. But I-well, I

tated

ed, "I remembered about you

e cried. "He's too much of a gentleman. Besides,

ink he'll ta

se you need him, and because he's no coward. And with the biggest man in W

leared up before you know it, and"-smiling lightly-"just you see, daddy, all Westville will be out there in

e, and a smile broke thro

, and I feel that a thousand y

nd began to twist a finger in a buttonhole of his coat. "U'm-don't you think, daddy, that s

what, m

ed forward and whi

ent to h

, is thi

d it is, d

our aunt must have forgotten t

ssed to the bureau and came back with a clean collar. "Now, sir-up with your chin!" With quick hands she replaced the offending collar with the fresh one, tied the ti

another kiss, and smiling at hi