“‘I hope that you will do something in a hurry, for I am getting tired of pacing back and forward with the gentleman,’ said the guard. ‘I feel that I have need of a pair of shoes sot to going some other direction than from 78’s cell to the office and back.’
“‘Well, Pat, what is your opinion of this case? Do you think the man is innocent, or not?’
“‘I’m not here acting as judge, but if he is guilty, the mon should work. Setting around eating of the victuals and his toime going on just the same!’
“‘The only way to prove his innocence would be for the poor woman to come back and tell how the murder was done, and I don’t think there would be any of us here to do time or see others did if we would see her here telling us how she was murdered.’
“‘I, for one, would be a dead Pat.’
“‘Well, Pat, we are both in doubt about the prisoner’s guilt. Now, as long as he is here and proved guilty, say we find work for him to do. What would there be to do where a man could work and not work?’
“‘Leave him have the same job he has had—rest in his cell when he is not on the road here and back.’
“‘If you want a job of that kind, you misunderstand me, Pat. As I understand the poor man, he has never done very hard manual labor, and to place him to work of that kind, I fear, would make it necessary to soon change again. I am sorry that it had to fall to me to confine a convict to hard labor and feel that he is innocent [in an undertone] and my brother!’
“‘Well, shall I bring the poor devil in? My shoes has pointed that way; every toime I start the shoes on my very feet wants to track to 78’s cell.’
“‘I wish we could arrange everything, Pat, so your shoes could get a rest. It matters not about our minds. Bring him along.’”