"Don't address me!" said Mrs. Marsh indignantly. "Don't come near me, you----"

"Amelia!" he repeated.

"What do you want here?" she demanded.

"There's a preliminary examination before the trial. Mr. Cooley and I have to be present. But what has that to do with it? I want you to come back to me."

"No!" she said positively.

"Do you mean to say you've left me for good?"

"I do! I won't listen to you while that girl remains in this dreadful place!"

"What can I do, Amelia?" he cried, wringing his hands. "I sat up last night--all night--waiting--hoping that you'd come back. All my anxiety about my brother's estate has been on your account, and now you've left me without a word. Everything I've said or done has been for your sake.

It's d.a.m.ned ingrat.i.tude to leave me like this!"

"It's not half what you deserve," she retorted.

He turned to his stepson:

"Tod, you can put everything right--persuade her to come back."

The young man looked at him indignantly.

"Do you think she'd go back to you after the way you've treated that girl?" he cried hotly.

His stepfather looked aggrieved. Peevishly he said:

"Why, three physicians have attested to the fact that we are doing the best we can for her."

"It's a d.a.m.nable conspiracy!" cried Tod, with increasing fury.

"It isn't my fault," whined Jimmy. "If I'm mistaken--so are they."

Almost in a whisper, he went on: "It was Cooley's idea--his idea from the very beginning. Of course, if she's not responsible she ought to be watched. All I wanted him to do was to contest the will. We've gone so far now, we've got to go on----"

Tod started eagerly forward. That was just what he wanted to know.

Quickly he said:

"So it was Cooley's idea, eh? Of course, that changes the aspect of things. If that is so, mother, I think you may reconsider----"

"How dare you suggest such a thing?" exclaimed Mrs. Marsh indignantly.

"Everything I've done," went on Jimmy tearfully, "I've done for your sake-- I acted for the best. It's the most ungrateful piece of business----"

"But you said it was Cooley's idea," interrupted Tod impatiently. "Where does he come in?"

"He gets half--half of everything," replied the other.

"Oh, he divides the estate with you, does he?"

"It was his idea from the very beginning," went on Jimmy. "I only wanted my share of my brother's property. I'm ent.i.tled to that. Cooley urged me on--and on--until at last we'd gone too far."

"Oh, Tod!" exclaimed Mrs. Marsh, in dismay; "it's worse than I thought----"

Sinking down on a chair she looked helplessly at the two men.

"Well, you can blame yourself, too," said Jimmy doggedly. "Your d.a.m.ned extravagance is responsible for the whole business, and, if the truth ever does come out, you won't escape--that you can gamble on!"

"My mother doesn't want to escape," retorted Tod angrily, "we are both willing to pay the penalty for our a.s.sociation with you."

"Why--what are you going to do?" demanded Jimmy, in alarm.

"Going to do?" echoed Tod. "What else is there to do but tell Mr.

Ricaby what you have just told us?"

"Tell--Ricaby--you fool, do you know what he'll do?"

"Yes," replied the young man dryly. "He will probably have you and Cooley indicted for conspiracy."

"He'll have us all indicted," exclaimed the other. "Do you think you can share the spoils without being a.s.sociated with the crime?"

"You--you wretch!" cried Mrs. Marsh. "Do you mean that we are your accomplices?"

"No, I don't mean that, Amelia," said Jimmy half-apologetically.

"I--I've had no sleep for forty-eight hours, and I don't know what I'm saying. But it was all for your sake--every bit of it! You can't make me take that back--for your sake----"

Sitting down, he covered his face with his hands. Tod went up to his mother.

"Mother," he said eagerly, "have I your consent to--to make this matter public? Are you willing to--risk telling the truth?"

"And go to prison, eh?" sneered Jimmy. "Fine advice!"

"The more wicked a man is, the bigger fool he is!" retorted his wife.

"Do you suppose that this matter can be kept secret?" cried Tod. "You _are_ willing? You want to cut yourself loose from this--this a.s.sociation with a scoundrel like Cooley?"

"G.o.d knows I do!" moaned Jimmy. "Oh, this is my punishment--this is my punishment!"

"Then you've got one chance, Jimmy. Go upstairs and tell those people that you demand Paula Marsh's instant release from this place."

Jimmy rose, his face white.

"No," he said. "Give me time-- I'll arrange it privately with Cooley.

Don't force me to--to--make a public exposure--for your own sakes----"

"You must not consider us," cried Tod.

"Well, you can consider me," said his mother. "I don't mind going as far as the divorce court, but I'm not pining to go to prison."