Williams. “You rascal, the last time I was here you told me you never were so happy and comfortable.”
Prisoner. “Ha! ha! ha! ha! he! he! haw! haw! ho! I ask your pardon for laughing, sir; but you are so precious green. Why, if I had told you the truth then I shouldn't be alive to talk to you now.”
“What, I should have murdered you, should I!” said Mr. Hawes, with a lofty sneer.
“Why you know you would, sir,” replied the prisoner firmly and respectfully, looking him full in the face before them all.
Mr. Lacy. “You don't think so, or you would not take these liberties with him now.”
The prisoner cast a look of pity on Mr. Lacy.
“Well, you are green—what, can't you see that I am going out to-day? Do you think I'd be such a cully as to tell a pack of greenhorns like you the truth before a sharp hand like our governor, if I was in his power; no, my term of imprisonment expired at twelve o'clock to-day.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I'll tell you, sir. Our governor always detains a prisoner for hours after the law sets him free. So then the poor fellow has not time to get back to his friends, so then he sleeps in the town, ten to one at a public-house; gets a glass, gets into bad company, and in a month or two comes back here. That is the move, sir. Bless you, they are so fond of us they don't like to part with us for good and all.”
Mr. Lacy. “I do not for a moment believe, Mr. Hawes, that you have foreseen these consequences, but the detention of this man after twelve o'clock is clearly illegal, and you must liberate him on the instant.”