"I know, he is charged with murder! but you see how innocent he is," answered the wife, and all the holy faith, the pure, beautiful love born in her youth and strengthened in her age, kindled over those wrinkled features—"you see how innocent he is!"
The man checked a slight wave of the head, for he would not appear to doubt that old man's innocence, strong as the evidence was against him.
"You will not send me away!" said the old woman, still regarding him with great anxiety.
"I have no power—it is not for me to decide—such things have been done. In minor offences, I have known wives to remain in prison, but never in capital cases that I remember."
"But some one has the power. It is only for a little while—it cannot be for more than a week or two that they will keep him, you know."
"It may be—from my heart I hope so—but I can answer for nothing, I have no power."
"Who has the power?—what can we do?"
It was the young girl who spoke now. The entreaties of her grandmother—the tremulous voice of her grandsire, at length aroused her feelings from the icy stillness that had crept over them. The mist cleared away from her eyes, and though heavy with sleeplessness and grief, they began to kindle with aroused animation.
"No one at present, my poor girl—nothing can be done till after the examination."