"But," said Robert, "the personal liberty of every non-resident and some resident debtors is, or in some cases may be, dependent solely upon the character of attorneys, as I understand you."
"In some cases, yes. But pardon me. Had we not better come to the matter in hand?"
"As we are not a legislature perhaps it would be better," said Robert. He then proceeded to relate the facts of the case, beginning with his drawing of the draft in good faith, its protest, and his consequent perplexity.
"I did not 'abscond' at all," he continued, "but came away to see if I could save something from the wreck of the bank, and to seek work. In leaving, I promised to pay the debt on or before the fifteenth of last month, feeling certain that I could do so. I failed to do it, through——never mind, I failed to do it, but I have been trying hard ever since to get the money and discharge the obligation. I yesterday remitted a hundred dollars, and should have sent the rest as fast as I could make it. These are the facts. Now how am I to get out of here?"
"You have nobody to go your bail?"
"Nobody."
"And no money?"
"None. I sold my watch in order to get money on which to live while I was looking for work."
"You did have money enough to your credit in that bank to have made your draft good if the bank hadn't suspended?"
"Yes."