"Would you prefer to wait at my house?" she heard him asking. "The speech for the prosecution will last about an hour, I suppose. After that we don't know how long the jury will take."
"Let us stay here," Natalia answered in a voice that did not seem her own. "I shall be nearer Morgan. It would be deserting him to go away."
"Very well, my dear. I shall come to you as soon as I know the verdict."
An hour more, with the sound of other voices. Endless arguments and set phrases and instructions to twelve men who had already reached a decision. Evening came on gradually, the trees grew dark and began their twilight whispers; negroes began to harness their horses to the wagons, coachmen straightened up and roused their teams; the air grew charged with expectancy. There was a deathly, waiting stillness. The case was before the jury. Natalia grasped Mr. Houston's hand.
"How much longer?" she asked. "How much longer, Aunt Maria?"
"The speeches are evidently finished, Natalia. We have not heard any voices for a good while."
"Then the end is nearly here?"
The old lady smiled, reassuringly.
"I believe we shall all be happy in a very few minutes."
Suddenly Millicent stood up in the carriage.