“Do you know when the grand jury sits?”

“Next week.  Of course my hope is that it won’t go beyond that; I don’t see how it can!”

“Why didn’t you send for me at once?” asked the older man with increasing bruskness.  He took a turn about the room.  “What does it all mean?  What do you know about McBride’s death?” he continued, halting suddenly.

“Absolutely nothing,” said North.

And for an instant the two men looked straight into each other’s eyes.

“You are sure you don’t need anything—­money, for instance?” the general asked, shifting his glance.

“I am quite sure, but I am very grateful to you all the same—­”

“Of course the evidence against you is purely circumstantial?”

“I believe so—­yes,” answered North.  “But there are points I don’t understand.”

“I am coming in to-morrow morning to see you, and talk the whole thing over with you, North.”

“I shall be very glad to talk matters over with you, General,” said North.

“I wish I could do something for you to-night!” the general said with real feeling, for he realized the long evening, and the longer night that were before the young fellow.

There was a pause.  The general could not bring himself to speak of Elizabeth, and North lacked the courage to ask concerning her.

“I heard through one of my men of your arrest.  He brought word of it to the farm,” the farmer said at length.

“Miss Herbert knows—­of course you told her—­”

“Yes, North; yes, she knows!” her father replied.  “She knows and she urged me to come!”

He saw North’s face light up with a sudden look of joy.

“She urged you to come?” repeated North.

“Yes—­I think she would have come herself if I had not been willing.”

“I am glad she did not!” said North quickly.

“Of course!  I told her it would only distress you.”

“It would only distress her—­which is all that is worth considering,” rejoined North.

“That’s so!” said the general, approaching the young man and resting a brown and muscular hand on his shoulder.

“She has told you?” asked North.

The older man nodded.

“Yes, she’s told me,” he said briefly.

“I can’t ask if it was pleasant news at this time,” said North.  “What do you wish me to do?” he continued.  “She must forget what was said that night, and I, too, will endeavor to forget—­tell her that.”  He passed a shaking hand before his face.

“I’ve a note here for you, North—­” General Herbert was fumbling in his pocket—­“from Elizabeth.  Don’t you be too quick to decide!”

“With your permission,” said North as he took the letter.

He tore it open, and Elizabeth’s father, watching him, saw the expression of his face change utterly, as the lines of tense repression faded from it.  It was clear that for the moment all else was lost in his feeling of great and compelling happiness.  Twice he read the letter before he could bring himself to replace it in its envelope.  As he did so, he caught the general’s eyes fixed on him.  For a moment he hesitated, then he said with the frankness that was habitual to him: