Chapter 88

           Beforethemonotonoussummonshasbeenthreetimesrepeated,theladyisseendescendingthestepsofhercarriage.

           ConductedbyanofficeroftheCourt,shetakesherstandonthespotsetapartforthewitnesses.

           Withoutflinching—apparentlywithoutfear—shefacestowardstheCourt.

           Alleyesareuponher:someinterrogatively;afew,perhaps,inscorn:butmanyinadmiration—thatsecretapprovalwhichfemalelovelinessexacts,evenwhenalliedwithguilt!

           Oneregardsherwithanexpressiondifferentfromtherest:alookoftenderestpassion,dashedwithanalmostimperceptibledistrust.

           Itistheprisonerhimself.Fromhimhereyesareavertedasfromeverybodyelse.

           Onlyonemansheappearstothinkworthyofherattention—hewhohasjustforsakenthestandsheoccupies.ShelooksatCalhoun,herowncousin—asthoughwithhereyesshewouldkillhim.

           Coweringundertheglance,heslinksback,untilthecrowdconcealshimfromhersight.

           "Wherewereyou,MissPoindexter,onthenightwhenyourbrotherwaslastseen?"

           ThequestionisputbytheStatecounsellor.

           "Athome,—inmyfather’shouse."

           "MayIask,ifonthatnightyouwentintothegarden?"

           "Idid."

           "PerhapsyouwillbegoodenoughtoinformtheCourtatwhathour?"

           "Atthehourofmidnight—ifIrightlyremember."

           "Wereyoualone?"

           "Notallthetime."

           "Partofittherewassomeonewithyou?"

           "Therewas."

           "Judgingbyyourfrankness,MissPoindexter,youwillnotrefusetoinformtheCourtwhothatpersonwas?"

           "Certainlynot."