For a moment her heart stood still--suppose the shock of this shameful accusation had killed him?
Her blood froze in her veins, she clenched her fists and dug her nails into her flesh as she thought of the dread possibility that she had looked upon him in life for the last time.

She remembered his last kind words when he came to the steamer to see her off, and his kiss when he said good-bye and she had noticed a tear of which he appeared to be ashamed.

The hot tears welled up in her own eyes and coursed unhindered down her cheeks.
What could these preposterous and abominable charges mean?
What was this lie they had invented to ruin her father?
That he had enemies she well knew.

What strong man had not?
Indeed, his proverbial honesty had made him feared by all evil-doers and on one occasion they had gone so far as to threaten his life.

This new attack was more deadly than all--to sap and destroy his character, to deliberately fabricate lies and calumnies which had no foundation whatever.