“Wish he had. It would have saved me trouble. I guess it was best the way it happened, though. Killed two birds with one stone by planting the goods on Henry.”
The old man shook his head.
“That may have been a mistake, Crull,” he said.
“What!” The young man’s exclamation showed astonishment. “You wanted him out of the way, didn’t you?”
“Of course,” came the querulous reply. “It will be great, if he goes to the chair.”
“Well, if they acquit him, we’re just where we started.”
“Granted. But suppose they give him twenty years, or life? Then he’ll be where it will be hard to get at him.”
* * *
“Birdie” Crull was silent. Evidently he had not considered that angle of the situation.
“That would be bad,” he said, at length. “But I don’t think it will be an in-between affair. The way things are in that town, they’ll railroad him, or he’ll get off.