"What does it matter what she was? What do the facts matter, Mrs. Steel,
when one has an idea like that for fiction? Fiction is truer than fact!"
"But you haven't answered my question."
Rachel meant to have that answer.
"Oh, well, as a matter of fact, I read the case pretty closely, and I
was thankful the jury brought in an acquittal. It required a little
imagination, but the truth always does. It is no treason to our host to
whisper that he has none. I remember having quite a heated argument with
him at the time. Oh, dear, no; she was no more guilty than you or I; but
it would be a thousand times more artistic if she were; and I should
make her so, by Jove!"
Rachel finished heir dinner in great tranquillity after this; but there
was a flush upon her face which had not been there before, and Langholm
received an astonishing smile when the ladies rose. He had been making
tardy atonement for his neglect of the aquiline lady, but Rachel had the
last word with him.
"You will come and see us, won't you?" she said. "I shall want to hear
how the plot works out."
"I am afraid it's one I can't afford to use," he said, "unless I stick
to foolish fact and make her innocent.
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