"Sentence?" she cried out in her excitement. "No, he can't mean that...."
There was a titter from the women on the benches; it brought Leslie to her senses, and flushing and confused she sank back and covered her face with her hands.
"Leslie, brace up!" said Beekman, leaning over her, his voice showing his deep emotion. "It will come out all right. We'll win out on appeal."
Flomerfelt stepped to the fore and plucked Beekman by the sleeve.
"Let me have a word with you," he requested, whispering something in his ear.
Beekman at once addressed the Court.
"If your Honour please," he began, "may we have a brief consultation among counsel before we ask your Honour to set a day?"
"Certainly," agreed the Court, "you may step into the ante-room."
Six counsel and Flomerfelt and Wilkinson—eight in all—filed into the ante-room.