"How do you reconcile that with your conscience?"
"I answered all the questions," she said softly. "Mr. Corveth could not ask me about these other matters, because he knew nothing of them."
"But you are acting in the defendant's interest, I assume. Surely his Counsel had a right to know what was going on."
"It was not from any lack of confidence in him," Pen said, with a warm glance at Corveth. "It would have been fatal to us if the least whisper of what we were doing had got about before we had complete proof. We tried our best to obtain a postponement of the trial. When that was denied it was very difficult to know what to do. Mr. Counsell decided, and I agreed with him, that we must go ahead and keep everything hidden. We did not tell Mr. Corveth because he is too honest to play a part. If he had known what we knew, our enemies would have read it in his face in the court-room. If we have acted wrongly I hope you will remember that we had a powerful and unscrupulous enemy."
His Honor did not appear much impressed, though it was not hidden that he approved of Pen's exterior. "And do you think you have complete proof now?" he asked with an indulgent smile.
"I obtained it only yesterday, sir."
"Well, tell me what you expect to prove."
Pen looked rather helpless. "Mr. Corveth said I must be brief ... There is so much to tell... I scarcely know where to begin..."
Corveth prompted her. "Tell Judge Stockman what witnesses you have brought me and what you expect to prove by each one."
Pen nodded. "The first witness will be a young woman named Blanche Paglar. She will testify that up to the day that Collis Dongan was shot she was friends with ... I mean lived with..." She hesitated, blushing.