Was I to go through with another experience of seeing another ghost? I fell on my knees and begged to be sent back to the printing shop.
“You are doing more good here than any place in which I have placed you. I think you have a good, long job here—or, at least, until we find out what the mysterious lady wants around here.”
“I am glad to be with you, but you are not giving me any punishment of hard labor, as the judge said you should.”
“Well, I don’t know. Perhaps you have not worked at this long enough to find the hard part of it.”
What should I say next to find some excuse to get away from there? I had thought of all excuses, and presently I began to feel sick, or pretended so. Oh, how I did moan! I did not create any sympathy. The officer informed me that he had to moan louder than that when they got after him.
I got well the next breath. What to try next I did not know. I could not break away from prison. Soon I heard footsteps. I looked, but could see no one. I asked the officer if he heard anything.
“Oh, yes, I hear them. You are not frightened, are you? Well, I have become used to them, and you will if you stay here a few days.”
“Man, I will die if I have to remain in this office another day!”
“I have felt as you do, and I have had the same experience ever since you came to this prison. And your name is repeated many times a day. Can you explain what all this means?”
“I am an innocent man charged with murder done by another. I am not treated justly. That is all I can say or know. I do not know anything about these voices or mysterious women, but I am quite sure that I saw my dear old mother, as she was when living. I do not understand it. I am told that we never die. To explain further I am not able, but I do want to get out of this office. I feel strong enough to do any kind of hard work.”