better take my arm," she said, "under the circumstances." And she smiled wanly up at him. She slipped her arm from under his and mechanically he grasped her elbow. "That's much better," she said. "Under the circumstances."

"I can't understand your light mood," he said, after a moment.

She looked up at him sharply.

"I'm sure that's the way Bill would have wanted it," she said.

Suddenly she halted and leaned heavily against him and he felt her fingers burrowing deeply into the flesh of his arm.

"Monica . . ." He was looking at her with anxiety and concern. She leaned against him for a brief moment and then he felt her tension relax.

"I'm all right now," she murmured, and they both continued walking to the car.

The little man had been questioning her for quite a while now. The questions had all seemed unforgiveably dull and the jury moved about restlessly, had lost interest in the proceedings and had merely sat looking at Mrs. Cartwright. She was a good show.

"When did you first meet Cecil Kelsey?" the little man now asked. The wriggling and the coughing in the jury box stopped. Mrs. Cartwright gazed out the courtroom window for a moment and then turned to her attorney.

"I met Cecil five years ago," she replied.

"Before your marriage?" he asked.

"Yes," Mrs. Cartwright said.

"Was he a suitor for your hand at that time?" he asked.

"If he was, I had no idea of it." she said. "I was engaged at the time.” "Now, then," said the little man.""could you give the jury a clear picture of the relationship between the three of you. Cecil Kelsey, your husband William Cartwright and yourself?"

There was a moment's pause while she reflected. "You must forgive me." she said, and looked apologetically toward the jury box. "So much has happened and I've been under such a great strain...

"Of course," her counsel said. "Take your time, Mrs. Cartwright. Compose yourself."

She looked at him gratefully. "I met Cecil Kelsey at a college dance in Connecticut," she began. "My husband-of course we were only engaged at the time-my husband had asked me to attend as his weekend guest. Cecil and my husband were roommates and the girl Cecil had asked had ditched him at the last moment, so that my evening was rather evenly divided between the two of them."

"Tell me, Mrs. Cartwright, did you notice anything about him at that time?" "Anything of what nature?" she asked.

"Did he pay any special attention to you?"

"Cecil was attentive, but not overly so. He was always delightful company, charming and gracious. That was one of the reasons why Bill-my husbandliked to have him around. My husband was inclined to be slightly serious and Cecil had a way of taking him out of himself.”

"I see. And after that, Mrs. Cartwright?"

"After that, Bill and I were married."

"Did Mr. Kelsey seem at all perturbed by this event?"

"Do you mean, was he upset by our marriage?"

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