“I’ll help you, your honor. I never have refused a thing you have asked me to do.”
“Come, Pearson; can you stand up? Try.”
“I am not hurt. I am only dizzy.”
“I am glad. I hope that you will now obey orders, and not cause any more excitement.”
“What shall I do, officer?”
“Pat, show him the way.”
“Come along, officer—Mr. Pearson—‘pet’ ‘fellow.’ Oh, how I would like to add a few more pet names to them! Indade, when he has no gun he is willing to ask what to do. Well, I will show you. This way out. I feel that you was not so very much surprised, only in the one way.”
“So the poor fellow was innocent, and the guilty one has confessed. I hope I shall never have another innocent man here while I am in charge of the place. I must send word to Pearson’s family. They will be alarmed when he does not come home. It will be a great shock to the family—to those beautiful society daughters. It will be a calamity to them. How shall I break the news? I would not dare to send Pat. He has a grievance against Pearson, and would not show any mercy on the family. I shall call the officials together and state the whole circumstances, and then we can see what steps to take to protect his family. I am anxious to see Pat back. I hope he will not have any more trouble. Here he comes now. Well, Pat, is he all right?”
“I think he is able to talk. After he was locked up, I stepped to one side and he thought I had gone, and the poor brother was getting the devil, and he promised him more than I just now gave him. I think that the poor brother will be scared to leave the place when he is turned loose.”
“Pat, why are you referring to the brother? What do you know about it?”