He was aware at intervals that this was a weakness, for he had moments when he recognized that an undeserved sentence could not degrade; but do what he might, the horror of it would come back to him. With it was another wound. The blow had been struck by her whom he loved. The girl whom he had given his whole heart to and whom he had thought the truest, bravest, highest woman in all the world, to whom he had spoken as he would not have spoken to any other man or woman, and who, he had hoped, cared for him, had turned and betrayed him. But for her he would be free to-morrow. He knew it himself, and his lawyers, in their last interview with him, just over, had told him so. They would do what they could; but the fact remained that he had confessed his part in the act for which the prosecution was brought, and they did not see how they could get around it. Some of them had suggested that they had a single chance. The witness was in a condition of high excitement; and they might, by severe cross-examination, confuse her and destroy the force of her evidence. This Steve promptly vetoed. He would not have it done. The lawyers gazed at him in dismay.
“My dear sir, it is your only chance.”
“I do not care, I will not have it,” said Steve, firmly. “I said it, and I will have no cross-examination on that point.”
“That is Quixotic.”
“Then I’ll be Quixotic. I’ve been so before. Don Quixote was a gentleman.” General Legaie’s eyes sparkled suddenly as they rested on him.
They had left him, saying good-by with that solemnity which showed how forlorn their hope was. As they reached the outer door and passed across the court-green, old Mr. Bagby said, “That is really a most extraordinary young man, and to think that such a man should be in prison under indictment.”
The little General breathed a deep and fervent oath.
“What a pity that he could not have married that nice young lady, Miss Welch—such a nice young lady!” proceeded Mr. Bagby, half in soliloquy.
“Marry her! Marry that woman! The viper!” exploded the General. “I’d rather die!”