She changed her riding habit and, taking Maggie, started at half past one in the morning to find Ackerman.
She had gone half way to Mrs. Wilson’s before she recalled the startling fact that her relations to Ackerman were unknown, and the still more painful fact that all knowledge of her relations to the detective must now be concealed2 with the utmost care. She felt instinctively3 that if John Graham discovered her plan to entrap4 him into a confession5 and her betrayal of his generous trust in her love, he could not forgive it. She shivered at the thought of his anger and disgust.
“We’ll go to the jail, Maggie,” she said, with sudden energy, “where is it?”
“Right down de nex street, I show ye,” Maggie answered. “I been dar lots er times. I wuz down dar yistiddy ter see my uncle Joe start ter de penitentiary6.”
Stella shuddered7, followed her down the side street, and knocked at the jail door.
No one answered. She knocked again and again. Finally the jailor thrust his head from the window above, saw it was a woman, shut the sash with a bang and went back to bed.
Stella looked at the grim walls with a sense of blind fury.
“I’ll show that insolent8 lazy rascal9 to-morrow morning how to treat me,” she cried, as she turned and started home. When they reached the corner she stopped, looked back at the jail looming10 black, silent and threatening among the shadows, and her heart went out in an agony of piteous yearning11 to the man within its walls.
Maggie pointed12 to the mass of trees behind the jail.
“See dem trees dar behin’ de house?”
Her mistress gave no answer, and the maid rattled13 on in awed14 whispers:
“Dars where dey hang folks! Dey’s er high fence roun’ de yard, but ye can see over it from here. I stan’ right on dis corner an’ see ’em hang a man dar las’ year.”
“Hush Maggie!” Stella sternly commanded.
“Yassum.”
Stella hurried home, and paced the floor of her room until morning.
At eight o’clock, in answer to her urgent summons, Ackerman came.
“You are sure no one saw you enter?” she asked nervously15.
“Yes, but why such caution now? Our work is done, and well done. I congratulate you on the skill with which you did your part.”
“I had nothing to do with it. I’ve sent for you to have the whole thing stopped at once.”
“You had nothing to do with it!” Ackerman exclaimed.
“Absolutely nothing. I repudiate16 the whole affair.”
“I came here to do this work at your own request,” he protested.
“The arrest of Mr. Graham is an infamous17 outrage18!”
“What!”
“An infamous outrage. I repeat it and demand his immediate19 release.”
“Why, my dear young woman, it was on the information which you gave that I swore out the warrant for his arrest.”
“It was you who swore out the warrant against him?” Stella fiercely cried. “Oh, I could kill you!”
“You gave me the information.”
“I did nothing of the kind,” she stormed. “It’s false—I deny it!”
“On your statement to me that he had confessed that he was Chief of the Klan, I made the oath on which his warrant was based,” Ackerman maintained with warmth.
“Then you swore a lie!” she hissed20. “A lie—a lie!”
Stella fell on the lounge and buried her face in her hands.
Ackerman flushed and was silent. His keen eyes grew suddenly tender. He smiled, rose and stood by her side a moment, and when she looked up extended his hand.
“I’m sorry for you, Miss Stella. I think I understand!”
“Then you will know how to forgive my bitter and unjust words?”
“Yes.”
“Can’t you help me?” she asked piteously.
“The situation is extremely delicate for me as it is dangerous for John Graham. The Government is determined21 to press these cases for conspiracy22 and murder. Personally I have never believed Graham guilty of the murder of the Judge.”
“Of course he is innocent!”
“I think I know the man who killed your father.”
“And you will help me save John Graham?” she cried.
“I’ll have a big job before me to complete my work before this trial. There’ll be plenty of witnesses to swear anything the Government wants, but I’ll do my best.”
“Thank you.”
With a cordial grasp of the hand Ackerman took his leave and Stella hastened to confer with the Attorney General.
“I’ve come to demand the immediate release of Mr. Graham on the absurd charge that has been made against him,” she began impetuously.
The General looked at her in astonishment23. “Hoity toity! My dear Miss, not so fast.”
“You began this at my request. I demand that it cease.”
“Yes, yes, I see, but you have forgotten that greater issues are at stake than even the lives of two men.”
“I’ll have nothing to do with the prosecution24 of an innocent man, General Champion.”
“Even so, you have set in motion forces you can not control. The fate of Mr. Graham is fixed25. He is the Chief of the Klan. He’s as sure of conviction as the fact that he is to be put on trial. I’ll see that he is tried and that all the resources of the Government are used to secure his conviction.”
Stella’s beautiful face grew white and still.
“You will make a special effort against him?” she faltered26.
“I will,” was the stern answer. “There was a way of escape. I offered it to him this morning in the most friendly and generous spirit. His answer was the gravest personal insult.”
“May I see him at once?”
“Certainly.”
The General hastily wrote an order and Stella hurried to the jail.
She determined to make a desperate appeal to induce him to compromise with the authorities and save his life.
At the sight of the heavy iron bars of his door before which John stood smiling, she broke completely down, seized his extended hand, covered it with kisses and sobbed27 bitterly.
“Come, come, my beautiful one, this is not like you! I’ve counted on your brave spirit to win this fight. Not another tear. Courage and laughter in our souls, defiance28, scorn, contempt for our enemies! See, they have made me quite comfortable within the past hour. I tried to knock the Attorney General down, and lo, they rewarded me with a cot and a chair!”
“You knocked General Champion down?” Stella gasped29 in amazement30.
“I did my best under difficulties. Think of it, my dear! He offered me an office for the betrayal of my people! I couldn’t kill him. I was behind the bars, but I shall always thank God that he stood close enough for my fist to reach his mouth.”
John broke into a joyous31 laugh. His spirit was contagious32. Stella looked at him with wonder until a smile stole through the clouds that shadowed her own brow.
“How beautiful you are this morning, dearest!” he cried exultantly33.
She brushed the tears from her eyes.
“I tried to see you last night at two o’clock,” she softly said.
“And succeeded, my love,” he interrupted smiling. “You came up and stood there and talked to me just as you are now. You told me to be of good cheer—that you loved me. That you hated a sneak34 and a coward and a traitor35. That you had rather see me cold in death than stoop to a low dishonourable deed, even for all the honours of earth. And I lifted up my head in courage. I forgot jails and handcuffs, courts and trials. You took me by the hand and led me away into green fields through the deep woods beside beautiful waters. All night hand in hand we roamed through the mystic world of Love—the only world of realities—I was angry with the sun for waking me!”
“My darling, I’m not worthy36 of such love,” Stella cried, pressing his hand. “What can I do to help you?”
“Keep on loving me—that’s the main thing!—incidentally consult a lawyer—the best you can find—tell him that I’m going to fight, fight, fight to the last ditch my own cause and the cause of my people! Keep out of old Champion’s way. He carries a bribe37 in one hand, a death warrant in the other. Don’t let him know your plans. Don’t let him know that you love me.”
Stella lifted her head with sudden resolution.
“I’ll get the best lawyer in America. I’ll mortgage the house for the money.”
“My little heroine!” he exclaimed with pride.
“I’ll go at once.”
Through the iron bars she pressed her lips and hurried to the telegraph office with the light of new courage shining in her eyes.
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收听单词发音
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1
collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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2
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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entrap
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| v.以网或陷阱捕捉，使陷入圈套 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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penitentiary
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| n.感化院；监狱 | |
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shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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10
looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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11
yearning
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| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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16
repudiate
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| v.拒绝，拒付，拒绝履行 | |
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17
infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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18
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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19
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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20
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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21
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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22
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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26
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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27
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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28
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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29
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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31
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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32
contagious
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| adj.传染性的，有感染力的 | |
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33
exultantly
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| adv.狂欢地，欢欣鼓舞地 | |
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34
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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35
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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36
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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37
bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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