He put the letter into her hands with a mere word.
"Your father has a powerful friend--somewhere," he said.
To his astonishment the girl showed no very great surprise.

She started a little at the sight of the money; she flushed at one or two expressions in the letter.

But she read the letter through without comment and handed it beck to him with a look of inquiry.
"You don't seem surprised!" said Brereton.
"There has always been so much mystery to me about my father that I'm not surprised," she replied.

"No!--I'm just thankful! For this man--whoever he is--says that my father's innocence is known to him.

And that's--just think what it means--to me!" "Why doesn't he come forward and prove it, then ?" demanded Brereton.
Avice shook her head.
"He--they--want it to be proved without that," she answered.