“The same thing occurred with me. I once hastened to investigate and found him as you did, doing his duty. So, sometimes, we are not to judge the poor prisoner too harshly, for we are not always informed correctly.”
“I am here to speak for myself. I am the one who has informed you, as well you know, and I will prove to you, your honor,” said Pat, “that I gave the man a good bating.”
“Yes, that would not be hard for me to believe. You did that, but it would be hard to make me believe some of the reports that have been made against the prisoner.”
“You seem to take a deep interest in No. 78. What is the secret, pray tell me?”
“I have no secret, sir.”
“I have a secret which I shall tell some day, and you will believe me,” a voice was heard to say.
CHAPTER X.
Pat Allows the Prisoner to Escape.
“I am going to leave you in charge of this place and I am going to investigate. I shall don a suit of one of the guards and follow this man around from morning until night and see if I will have any trouble with him.