Ralph Houston, after the first agonized start and shudder, drew nearer to her, and paused, pale as death, to listen further, if, perchance, he had heard aright.
All the others, after their first surprise, stood as if struck statue still.
Major Helmstedt remained nailed to the ground, a form of iron. Deep and unearthly was the sound of his voice, as, lifting the head of his daughter from his breast, he said:
“Miss Helmstedt, look me in the face!”
She raised her agonized eyes to his countenance.
All present looked and listened. No one thought by word or gesture of interfering between the father and daughter.
“Miss Helmstedt,” he began, in the low, deep, stern tone of concentrated passion, “what was that which you said just now?”
“I said, my father, in effect, that you must not fight; that your cause is accurst; that the charges brought against me are—true!”
“You tell me that——”
“The charges brought against me are true!” she said, in a strange, ringing voice, every tone of which was audible to all present.