"John, did you know it?"
Her effort to be calm was great. Her voice indicated the measure of her success, as in even cold tones she asked for the truth.
He hesitated.
The certificate fluttered to the floor.
As she turned her back upon them all, Blind Benner, led by Hunch, came into the room. She sank upon her knees. The blind man groped his way to her and knelt by her side.
"Oh, John, you wronged me! You wronged me! You wronged me!" she repeated piteously, as she laid her head on the blind man's shoulder, and held her child close to her breast.
Parson Lawrence's beard was wet with the tears that flowed unheeded down his cheeks.
The brothers looked murder as their gleaming eyes saw their old father sink helpless and undone in a chair, while their sister grovelled before them.
In Hunch's hand, partly concealed, glittered the knife Gill had drawn on Levi in the circus-tent.
All waited for Gill to act, for upon him lay the burden of proof, although he was really the defendant in the case. Advancing to Lizzī he laid his hand gently on her shoulder, and said: