CHAPTER XIV.
The Convict’s Prayer.
As the superintendent entered the office on his return he said to Pearson: “I am back. I have been looking up some of your history in the past.”
“I do not understand you, officer.”
“You will, however.”
“Why are you looking up my reputation?”
“I have every cause to do so. I see that you have the same name as the convict, or he has the same name as you have. Of course that is nothing unusual, for two men often have the same family name, and even Christian name; but you are favoring this prisoner in many ways, which looks suspicious. I have never noticed that you favored other prisoners, and I do not believe that you would do so without some secret reason, in this case.”
“I have only tried to treat him humanely.”
“I see the humane part of it, Pearson.”
“I think I will walk around and see how the fellow is looking after he has spent this five-thousand-dollar bribe and got the poor convict to deny his own name. I wonder what he will take for a name if he denies the one he has got. For the love of Mike, I hope it won’t be Pat! Indade, I don’t want to have a name like annyone of the prisoners in here, and, thank God! the place has no Pats. An Irishman is too slick to come here against his own free will.”
Pat was approaching the office.