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THAT ROYLE GIRL

Elmen cast his last words at Calvin and shook off the girl's grasp.

"What has happened? What does it mean?" she cried to Calvin and, gazing into her blue eyes, he discerned that, in her ignorance, she had expected some extravagantly impossible result from this proceeding.

"It means that this attempt to free the prisoner has failed," Calvin told her. "It means that he is going to jail."

"I heard that; but why?"

"Because the State has accused him."

"You have accused him, you mean!"

"Come out," warned Calvin, "if you want to say such things. You can not say them in court."

"But can't you explain to me?" she pleaded, her hand grasping the edge of his coat.

"When the State accuses a prisoner, he can be legally held awaiting action of the grand jury. The grand jury is a body of citizens, in session on the top floor of this building, before whom the State relates its evidence and who decide whether the State can continue to hold the prisoner or not. I will go before the grand jury this afternoon with my witnesses."

Her hand left Calvin's coat and she tugged at Elmen. "Why didn't you tell me that? You said, if we failed this morning, the trial would not be for two or three months; but he says he's going before the grand jury, in this building, this afternoon!"

"Why should I bother you with that?" said Elmen, without opening his eyes. "You have nothing to do with the grand jury."

"I'll go before it and tell it the truth!" she cried, at which Elmen merely shook his head.

"You can't," said Calvin. "The grand jury hears no