"They tried to prove, as you will remember, that it was John who
thus disfigured the bludgeon he always carried with pride. But the
argument was a sorry one and in itself would have broken down the
prosecution had he been a man of better repute. Now, those few
chips taken from the handle of this weapon will carry a different
significance. For in my folly I asked to see this stick which
still exists at Police Headquarters, and there in the wood I
detected and pointed out a trifle of steel which never came from
the unbroken blades of the knife taken from John's pocket."
Fallen was the proud head now and fallen the great man's aspect.
If he spoke it was to utter a low "Oliver! Oliver!"
The pathos of it--the heart-rending wonder in the tone brought the
tears to Deborah's eyes and made her last words very difficult.
"But the one great thing which gives to these facts their really
dangerous point is the mystery you have made of your life and of
this so-called hermitage. If you can clear up that, you can afford
to ignore the rest."
"The misfortunes of my house!" was his sole response. "The
misfortunes of my house!"
XXIV
ONE SECRET LESS
Suddenly he faced Deborah again. The crisis of feeling had passed,
and he looked almost cold.
"You have had advisers," said he. "Who are they?"
"I have talked with Mr. Black."
The judge's brows met.
"Well, you were wise," said he. Then shortly, "What is his
attitude?"
Feeling that her position was fast becoming intolerable she
falteringly replied, "Friendly to you and Oliver but, even without
all the reasons which move me, sharing my convictions.
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