Miss Lansdale had merely
detached herself into a magnificent void of disinterest, from the centre
of which she surveyed me without prejudice in moments when her glance
could not be better occupied.
I have caught much the same look in the eyes of twelve bored jurymen who
were, nevertheless, bound to give my remarks their impartial attention.
Sometimes one may know from the look of these twelve that one's case is
already as good as lost; or, at least, that an opinion has been reached
which new and important testimony will be required to change.
It occurred to me as my call wore on that I caught even a hint of this
prejudgment in the eyes of the young woman. It put me sorely at a
disadvantage, for I knew not what I was expected to prove; knew not if I
were on trial as her mother's lawyer, her mother's friend, or as a mere
man. The latter seemed improbable as an offence, for was not my judge a
daughter of Miss Caroline? And yet, strangely enough, I came to think
that this must be my offence--that I was a man. She made me feel this in
her careless, incidental glances, her manner of turning briskly from me
to address her mother with a warmer show of interest than I had been
able to provoke.
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