"Stowell, we are old chums .... it's not right of me, I know that .... but for the sake of our old friendship, sit on Bessie's case yourself."
Stowell felt as if he were on the edge of a precipice. Abysmal depths lay before him at the next step. With an awful secret in his heart he felt that it was almost impossible to speak one word more without betraying himself. He was silent, for a moment while Gell stood over him with wild eyes which he had never seen before. At length he said,
"Bessie is to plead Not Guilty?"
"Certainly."
"Will she stick to that?"
"Undoubtedly. Why shouldn't she? Besides, she has given me her promise."
Again Stowell was silent for a moment; then he said,
"I cannot promise to conduct the Court, but if Taubman will do so, and I'm fit to sit with him, I'll .... I'll see she has a fair trial."
Gell made a shout of joy.
"That's good enough for me. Just like you, old fellow."