"Oh no—quite impossible."
"I had a talk the other day with Yates," said Mr. Prentice quietly. "Yates is prepared to give evidence that he knocked you about."
"But it's not true," said Mrs. Marsden hotly.
The blood rose to her cheeks, and her lips trembled; but Mr. Prentice had ceased to watch her face. He was playing with an inkless pen and some white blotting-paper.
"Yates is ready to go into the box and swear it."
"Then she would be swearing an untruth."
"Yates would be a very good witness. Really I don't see how anybody could shake her.... I asked her a few questions.... She impressed me as being just the right sort of witness."
"Please don't say any more."
"Honestly, I believe we should pull it off. And why not? If ever a woman deserved—"
But Mrs. Marsden would hear no more of this kind of advice.