They were at the steps of the house now and she started up.
Her father placed a hand on her arm.
"Let's not go up just yet, Jennie Bear.
Let's sit here and talk a minute."
She looked down at him. His face was serious.
"What is it, Daddy?"
"I didn't tell your mother.
I went to see Father Hadley today."
"Yes?"
"He won't come down to court to testify to your character.
He told me it's against the rules of the church.
And the same goes for the sisters at the school."
"Oh," she said.
The sick feeling came up inside her again.
The lawyer had been right.
He'd come to see them a month ago, a little man with the eyes of a weasel.
He'd sat down in the kitchen and looked across the table at them.
"Mr. Burke and Mr. Tanner asked me to see you," he said. "I think you know how much they regret this, er – " He had glanced at her quickly and then away. " – this incident and they would like to make amends if they can."
Her father's face had flushed angrily.
"In the first place, Mr. O'Connor," he had said quickly. "That incident you are referring to was not an incident. Those two boys ra- "
The lawyer held up his hand interrupting.
"We know what they did," he said.
"But surely, Mr. Denton, what purpose would their trial serve except to call even greater attention to your daughter and remind her of what already must be a painful experience.
And what if the boys should be adjudged not guilty?"
Her father laughed.
"Not guilty?
I was at the station when the police brought them in.
I heard them sniveling and crying then how sorry they were that they did it."
"What they said then, Mr. Denton," the attorney had said, "is unimportant.
It's what they say in court that counts.
And they will say that your daughter led them on, that she asked them to go to the park with her."
"They will have to prove that," Tom said grimly.
"It will be harder for you to disprove it," the lawyer said. "There's two of them and only the word of your daughter.
And they will have as many character witnesses for them as you will have to have for your daughter."
"It's beginning to sound as if my daughter were on trial, not them!" Tom burst out.
"Exactly," the lawyer nodded. "That is the way it is in these cases. The accuser stands to lose more than the accused."
"My daughter's reputation speaks for itself," Tom said.
"Father Hadley of St. Paul's and the sisters at Mercy High School will tell you of my Jennie."
The lawyer had smiled mysteriously.
"I doubt it, Mr. Denton," he said quietly. "I doubt it very much." He glanced at Jennie again, then back at Tom. "I am authorized by my clients to offer you a thousand dollars if your daughter will drop the charges against the boys."
"I think you might as well go, Mr. O'Connor," her father had said, getting to his feet. "You cannot buy what's already been stolen."
The attorney rose also.
He took a card from his pocket and placed it on the table and walked to the door.
"You can reach me at my office any time before the trial begins if you should change your mind."
"What do we do now, Daddy?" she asked, back in the present again.
"Father Hadley said they'd told your mother the same thing three weeks ago."
She stared at her father.
"Then she knew all along and never told us?"
He nodded.
A chill ran through her.