"Then why do you leave her here to fight the battle alone?" demanded the judge angrily.
Annie advanced, and raised her hand deprecatingly. Howard looked at her as if now for the first time he realized the truth.
"To fight the battle alone?" he echoed.
"Yes," said the judge, "you are giving the world a weapon with which to strike at your wife!"
Howard was silent. The lawyer's words had struck home. Slowly he said:
"I never thought of that. You're right! I wanted to get away from it all. Father offered me the chance and Annie told me to go——"
Annie turned to the judge.
"Please, judge," she said, "don't say any more." Addressing her husband, she went on: "He didn't mean what he said, Howard."
Howard hung his head.
"He's quite right, Annie," he said shamefacedly. "I never should have consented to go; I was wrong."