"No," she replied. "I really feel sorry for the girl myself. Will you give her some money if I——"
The lawyer shook his head.
"She won't take it. I tried it. She wants me to defend her husband—I tried to bribe her to go to some other lawyer, but it wouldn't work."
"Well, something ought to be done to stop her annoying us!" exclaimed Alicia indignantly. "Mr. Jeffries suffers terribly. I can hear him pacing up and down the library till three or four in the morning. Poor man, he suffers so keenly and he won't let any one sympathize with him. He won't let me mention his son's name. I feel we ought to do something. Try and persuade him to let me see this girl and—you are his friend as well as his legal adviser."
Judge Brewster bowed.
"Your husband is a very old friend, Mrs. Jeffries. I can't disregard his wishes entirely——"
There was a knock at the door of the private office.
"Come in," called the judge.
The door opened and the head clerk entered, ushering in Howard Jeffries, Sr. The banker, still aristocratic and dignified, but looking tired and care-worn, advanced into the room and shook hands with the judge, who greeted him with a cordial smile. There was no response on the banker's face. Querulously he demanded:
"Brewster, what's that woman doing out there again? It's not the first time I've met her in this office."