“Well, this is a plot,” said the Judge, drawing a long breath.
Mrs. Everest nodded her pretty head at him. “You don’t quite approve, Judge. I see it in your eye. O, if you knew what a pleasure it has been to watch over your interests!”
The Judge looked gratified. “My dear child, I thank you,” he said, heartily; “but look there,” and he turned abruptly to Dallas and Titus.
The two boys’ faces were red; their heads and bodies, too, for that matter, were bending forward. They were absolutely hanging on every word she uttered.
“Just see them,” said the Judge, ironically, “their young eyes starting out of their heads. You know what my career has been. I may say that mine has been a profession that I have kept separate from my home interests. I early made up my mind that, as far as possible, it is best to keep the evil and the good apart. Not one word has my family ever heard me utter with regard to the process of litigating or carrying on suits in courts of law or equity or on the darker world of criminal actions and cases. I know that the human mind, and especially the youthful mind, is curious, morbidly curious, with respect to the proceedings by which a person accused of crime is brought to trial and judgment. I don’t think that that curiosity ought to be gratified.”
“Nor I,” replied Mrs. Everest, “but surely this is an exceptional case.”
“Possibly,” returned the Judge, “possibly. Please continue your story.”
She smiled sweetly at him, and went on: “After Simpson and Smalley, alias Givins, left here, two strange women arrived. But we didn’t know it. Of all the travelers arriving here daily, we could not be supposed to know at first sight which ones were criminals. However, we did not relax our vigilance with regard to Bethany. No stranger could approach her, or any member of your family, without our knowledge. Sure enough, this morning the kidnaping attempt was to be made.”
“Pardon me,” interrupted the Judge, “but there is a great noise in the hall below. It goes through my head. Titus, will you see about it?”
The Judge was the only one that had heard the noise. The others had been so absorbed in Mrs. Everest’s recital, and she herself was still so much excited, that she was only aware of what was going on immediately about her.