"Did I?" she exclaimed in consternation.

"You say a great many things, Mrs. Jeffries," said the lawyer solemnly.

"Of course, I realize how deeply you feel, and I make excuses for you.

But I'm not afraid. Please understand that----"

He rapped the table with his eyegla.s.ses as if he were very much offended indeed.

"Of course not," she said apologetically. "If you were you wouldn't even see me--let alone talk to me--and--and----" Pointing to the piece of paper he held in his hand, she added: "And----"

"And what?" demanded the judge, amused.

Half hysterical, now laughing, now crying, she went on:

"And--and take the names and addresses of witnesses for the defense--and--think out how you're going to defend Howard--and--and all that----"

The lawyer looked at her and laughed.

"So you think I'm going to help Howard?" he said. "You take too much for granted."

"You're not afraid to help him," she said. "I know that--you just said so."

Judge Brewster raised his fist and brought it down on the desk with a bang which raised in a cloud the acc.u.mulated dust of weeks. His face set and determined, he said:

"You're quite right! I'm going to take your case!"

Annie felt herself giving way. It was more than she could stand. For victory to be hers when only a moment before defeat seemed certain was too much for her nerves. All she could gasp was:

"Oh, judge!"

The lawyer adjusted his eyegla.s.ses, blew his nose with suspicious energy, and took up a pen.

"Now don't pretend to be surprised--you knew I would. And please don't thank me. I hate to be thanked for doing what I want to do. If I didn't want to do it, I wouldn't----"

Through her tears she murmured:

"I'd like to say 'thank you'."

"Well, please don't," he snapped.

But she persisted. Tenderly, she said:

"May I say you're the dearest, kindest----"

Judge Brewster shook his head.

"No--no--nothing of the kind."

"Most gracious--n.o.ble-hearted--courageous," she went on.

The judge struck the table another formidable blow.

"Mrs. Jeffries!" he exclaimed.

She turned away her head to hide her feelings.

"Oh, how I'd like to have a good cry," she murmured. "If Howard only knew!"

Judge Brewster touched an electric b.u.t.ton, and his head clerk entered.

"Mr. Jones," said the lawyer quickly, "get a stenographic report of the case of the People against Howard Jeffries, Junior; get the coroner's inquest, the grand jury indictment, and get a copy of the Jeffries confession--get everything--right away!"

The clerk looked inquiringly, first at Annie and then at his employer.

Then respectfully he asked:

"Do we, sir?"

"We do," said the lawyer laconically.

CHAPTER XVI.

"Now, my dear young woman," said Judge Brewster, when the astonished head clerk had withdrawn, "if we are going to set your husband free we must get to work, and you must help me."

His visitor looked up eagerly.

"I'll do anything in my power," she said quickly. "What can I do?"

"Well--first of all," said the lawyer with some hesitation, "I want you to see a certain lady and to be exceedingly nice to her."

"Lady?" echoed Annie surprised. "What lady?"

"Mrs. Howard Jeffries, Senior," he replied slowly.

"Howard's stepmother!" she e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed.

A clerk entered and handed his employer a card. The lawyer nodded and said in an undertone:

"Show her in." Turning round again, he went on: "Yes--Howard's stepmother. She's out there now. She wants to see you. She wishes to be of service to you. Now, you must conciliate her. She may be of great use to us."

Annie's face expressed considerable doubt.

"Perhaps so," she said, "but the door was slammed in my face when I called to see her."

"That's nothing," answered the judge. "She probably knows nothing about it. In any case, please remember that she is my client----"

She bowed her head and murmured obediently: