“Me? Me, and my son James? Are you speaking of us?” she said at last. “What have you done with him? What do you want of me?”
“Just as if you didn’t know. Well, if you will have it, I want you to step out before a justice, and answer for yourself.”
“Answer for what?”
“For stealing! Robbery! I think they’d call this burglary, only the boy was in the house, and so, of course, could only break out, if breaking was to be done.”
“Stealing! Robbery!”
These words fell from the woman’s lips like lead dropping on marble. A stupor of astonishment seemed turning her to stone.
“My boy! James, my boy! You said something strange about him; horribly strange, it seems to me.”
“I said that we had him safe in the Tombs, where you will be mighty quick, or I’m mistaken. But, come along; it’s the best way. The gentleman wanted me to get through without making a fuss in the neighborhood. So get your things, and——”
“What is this? Mother, who is this man?”
Mrs. Laurence instantly came out of the icy trance that had settled on her faculties, and answered sharply,