opportunity there for a very successful future; but now that he is dead
there is no one who could verify such a statement on my part."

"Who could there be, then, who might wish to kill him, and what could
the motive be?"

"I can only think," said Jimmy, "of one man; and even in his case the
idea is too horrible--too preposterous to be entertained."

Harriet Holden looked up at him quickly, a sudden light in her eyes, and
an expression of almost horrified incredulity upon her face. "You don't
mean--" she started.

"I wouldn't even use his name in connection with the thought," Jimmy
interrupted; "but he is the only man of whom I know who could have
profited by Mr. Compton's death, and, on the other hand, whose entire
future would have been blasted possibly had Mr. Compton lived until the
following morning."

The girl remained for half an hour longer, and when she left she went
directly to the home of Elizabeth Compton.

"I told you, Elizabeth," she said, "that I was going to see Mr.
Torrance. You dissuaded me for some time, but I finally went today, and
I am glad that I went. No one except yourself could have loved your
father more than I, or have been more horrified or grieved at his death;
but that is no reason why you should aid in the punishment of an
innocent man, as I am confident that this man Torrance is, and I tell
you Elizabeth if you were not prejudiced you would agree with me.