Page:That Royle Girl (Balmer).pdf/191

 What, indeed? What had he, Calvin Clarke, assistant state's attorney, to say to the girl taken with Ketlar and Ketlar's chief witness in the trial?

He accepted a sound in the hall as excuse to be silent. Indeed, some one pushed open the door, for Calvin and Joan Daisy both had raised their voices, the moment before. Calvin turned and the curious person withdrew.

"What's that?" asked the Royle girl. "Somebody about the verdict?"

"No."

"You ought to win it, Mr. Clarke," she said calmly. "And thank you for buying the book for Ket; he has it."

"Where are you going?" asked Calvin.

"To an automat; then home—home," she flung at him, her head up again.

Half-way across the court room she halted and stared at the empty witness stand; and Calvin, watching her, was aware that the same thought flashed into her mind as filled his. The thought was of her in the witness chair, after a day of direct examination by Elmen, when Elmen would say, "Take the witness" and Calvin Clarke would step forward to start the attack for the State.

She turned, quickly. "Go to it!" she cast her defiance at him. "Go to it!" And she pushed through the doors and disappeared.