I took her in my arms and kissed her again and again; her dear eyes were flooded with tears when I released her, but she brushed them away and tried to look brave for my sake. Then I led her back to the sofa and sat down beside her.
"Alie," I said softly, "this is all my fault. I saw Barkmansworth at Drury Lane last night and ought to have warned you. I intended to have done so this morning, but it was too late."
"Hush!" she answered, "you must not blame yourself. I, too, recognised him last night and should have spoken to you about it to-day. It is too late now, as you say."
"Can nothing be done, Alie?"
"I cannot say yet. I have been too much upset since my arrival here to think. But you must find me a lawyer at once, George, who will defend me at the preliminary examination, and if it looks as if the case will go against me you must find some means by which I can escape."
"Escape? Alie, you do not realise how impossible that is."
"Nothing is impossible when one has brains enough to devise a plot and sufficient money to work it out."
"If I could only feel as you do about it. But have you any scheme to suggest?"
"Not yet, but I shall devote my whole attention to it and it will go hard with me if I cannot hit on something. Would you have the courage to dare very much for my sake, George?"
"I would dare anything under the sun for you, Alie, and though you asked me such a question, I do not
