MR. ORCUTT.
What is it she does now?—Macbeth.
My resolution's plac'd, and I have nothing
Of woman in me. Now, from head to foot
I am marble—constant.—Antony and Cleopatra.
THESE words rang in the ears of Mr. Ferris. For he felt himself disturbed by them. Hickory did not believe Mr. Mansell innocent.
At last he sent for that detective.
"Hickory," he asked, "why do you think Mansell, rather than Hildreth, committed this crime?"
Now this query, on the part of the District Attorney, put Hickory into a quandary. He wished to keep his promise to Horace Byrd, and yet he greatly desired to answer his employer's question truthfully. Without any special sympathies of his own, he yet had an undeniable leaning toward justice, and justice certainly demanded the indictment of Mansell. He ended by compromising matters.
"Mr. Ferris," said he, "when you went to see Miss Dare the other day, what did you think of her state of mind?"
"That it was a very unhappy one."
"Didn't you think more than that, sir? Didn't you think she believed Mr. Mansell guilty of this crime?"