The Mark of Cain

“I don’t mean quite that,” and Hoyt’s fine face clouded. “Yes, Landon, I’ll take the case, if you desire it.”

And so Kane Landon had a clever, shrewd and capable lawyer to defend him. Avice had great faith in Leslie Hoyt’s genius, though she had feared the two men were not very friendly.

She took occasion later, on the way home, to thank Hoyt for his willingness in the matter.

“I’m sure you’ll get him off,” she said, hopefully.

Hoyt looked grave. “You’re mistaken, Avice; I can’t get him off.”

“What! You mean he’ll be convicted!”

“How can he help but be? I can’t perform miracles. But I might make a more desperate effort than a stranger. That’s all I can promise.”

“Even when you remember what I have promised you?”

“Oh, my love, when I think of that, I feel that I can perform miracles. Yes, I’ll succeed somehow. Landon shall be freed, and I shall put all my powers to the work of making his freeing a jubilant triumph for him.”

Avice went home aghast at what she had done. She had forged a document, she had persuaded Hoyt to perjure himself, and worst of all, she had promised to marry a man she did not love.

She had friendly feelings for her fiancé, but no impulse of love stirred her heart for him. Indeed, it was while she was talking with him, that she realized that she really loved Kane Landon. As she thought it all over, she knew that she had loved Landon without being aware of it, and that it was Hoyt’s appeal that had shown her the truth. Yes, that was why she had forged that letter, because Kane’s safety was more to her than her own honesty! And all this for a man who did not love her! It was shocking, it was unmaidenly, – but it was true.

She would save the man she loved, and then, if there was no escape she would marry Hoyt. Her debt to him must be paid, and she had given her promise. Well, she would not flinch. Once let Kane be freed of all suspicion of crime, and then she would pay her penalty.

She remembered a quotation. “All for love and the world well lost.” That was her heart’s cry.

But from these moments of exaltation and self-justification, Avice would fall into depths of self-reproach, and black despair.

At times she could scarcely believe she had done the awful thing she had done, and then the remembrance of why she had done it returned, and again she forgave herself.

The next time Hoyt called, he looked very grave.

“Avice,” he said, “Avice, dear, I don’t see how I can carry that matter through. I mean about the forged note. It is sure to be found out, and then where would I be?”

“Very well,” said the girl, coldly, “then our engagement is broken. That is the one condition, that you free Kane. And you said you couldn’t do that without using the note.”

“But I can try other ways. I can try to get him off because of lack of evidence.”

“Do just as you choose, Leslie. If you free him by any means whatever, I will keep my promise and marry you, but not otherwise.”

“Avice! when you look like that, I can’t give you up! You beautiful girl! You shall be mine! I’ll stop at nothing to win you. I would do anything for you, Avice, anything! Do you understand?”

Impulsively, he took her in his arms. But she cried out, “No, Leslie, you shall not kiss me, until you have freed Kane!”

“Girl!” he cried, and clasped her roughly, “do you know how you make me feel when you insist it is all for his sake?”

“But it is! I have made no attempt to deceive you as to that.”

“Indeed you haven’t. But aren’t you ashamed to love a man who cares for another woman?”

A dear, serene light shone in Avice’s eyes. “No!” she said, “No! You don’t know what a woman’s pure love is. I ask no return, I sacrifice my heart and soul for him, because I love him. He will never know what I have done for him. But he will be free!”

“Free to marry Eleanor Black!”

“Yes, if he chooses. She is not a bad woman. She is mercenary, she never loved my uncle, and was only marrying him for his money. She is in love with Kane. I can read her like a book. And though she is older, she is congenial to him in many ways, and I hope, – I trust they will be happy together.”

Hoyt looked at the girl with a sort of reverence. She was like a willing martyr in a holy cause, and if her sacrifice was founded on falsehood, it was none the less noble.

“You are a saint,” he cried; “but you are mine! Oh, Avice, you shall yet love me, and not that usurper. May we announce our engagement at once?”

“No; you seem to forget you haven’t won me yet!”

“But I will! I cannot fail with such a glorious prize at stake!”

“You never can do that, except by freeing the man I do love!”

Hoyt’s brow contracted, but he made no complaint. Truly, he had been told often enough of Avice’s reasons for marrying him, and as he had accepted her terms, he had no right to cavil at them.

CHAPTER XVII

MADAME ISIS

“Yep, Miss Avice, I gotter go. Judge Hoyt, he’s got me a norful good place in a lawyer’s office, an’ I’m goin’ to get quite a bunch o’ money offen it. I do hate to leave this little ole town, but I don’t wanta trow down that swell job in Philly. So I come over to say goo’by, an’ if you’ll lemme I’d like to wish you well.”

Fibsy was embarrassed, as he always was in the presence of gentlefolk. The boy was so honestly ambitious, and tried so hard to overcome his street slang and to hide his ignorance of better language, that he usually became incoherent and tongue-tied.

“I’m glad, Fibsy,” Avice said, for she somehow liked to use his funny nickname, “that Judge Hoyt did get you a good position and I hope you’ll make good in it.”

“Yes’m, I sure hope so, but you see I’d doped it out to stay an’ help you out on this here case o’ yourn. I mean about Mr. Trowbridge – you know – ”

“Yes, I know, Fibsy, and it’s kind of you to take such interest, but, I doubt if so young a boy as you are could be of much real help, and so it’s as well for you to go to a good employer, where you’ll have a chance to learn – ”

“Yes, Miss Avice,” Fibsy interrupted impatiently, “an’ I begs you’ll fergive me, but I wanta ask you sumpum’ ’fore I go. Will you – would you – ”

“Well, say it, child, don’t be afraid,” Avice smiled pleasantly at him.

“Yes’m. Would you – ” his eyes roved round the room, – “would you now, gimme some little thing as a soovyneer of Mr. Trowbridge? I was orful fond of him, – I was.”

“Why, of course, I will,” said Avice, touched by the request. “Let me see,” she looked about the library table, “here’s a silver envelope opener my uncle often used. Would you like that?”

“Oh, yes’m – thank you lots, Miss Avice, and I guess I better be goin’ – ”

“Terence,” and Avice, struck by a sudden thought, looked the boy straight in the face, “Terence, that isn’t what you started to ask, – is it? Answer me truly.”

The blue eyes fell and then, lifted again, looked at her frankly.

“No, ma’am it ain’t. No, Miss Avice, I – I fibbed, I was a-goin’ to ask you sumpum else.”

“Why didn’t you?”