“I believe that you and I stand alone in our favourable opinion of Miss Monson,” John answered; “so far, at least, as Biberry is concerned. The excitement against her seems to be at the highest pitch; and I much doubt whether a fair trial can be had in the county.”
“The newspapers won’t mend the matter, sir. The papers from town, this morning, are full of the affair, and they all appear to lean the same way. But it’s a long road that has no turning, Mr. Wilmeter.”
“Very true, and nothing wheels about with a quicker step than the sort of public opinion that is got up under a cry, and runs itself out of breath, at the start. I expect to see Mary Monson the most approved and most extolled woman in this county, yet!”
Mrs. Gott hoped with all her heart that it might be so, though she had, certainly, misgivings that the young man did not feel. Half an hour after John Wilmeter had left the gaol, his friend, Michael Millington, was on the road to town, carrying a letter to Sarah, with a most earnest request that she would use all her influence with Marie Moulin to engage in the unusual service asked of her, for a few weeks, if for no longer a period. This letter reached its destination in due time, and greatly did the sister marvel over its warmth, as well as over the nature of the request.
“I never knew John to write so earnestly!” exclaimed Sarah, when she and Michael had talked over the matter a few moments. “Were he actually in love, I could not expect him to be more pressing.”
“I will not swear that he is not,” returned the friend, laughing. “He sees everything with eyes so different from mine, that I scarce know what to make of him. I have never known John so deeply interested in any human being, as he is at this moment in this strange creature!”
“Creature! You men do not often call young ladies creatures, and my brother affirms that this Mary Monson is a lady.”
“Certainly she is, so far as exterior, manner, education, and I suppose, tastes, are concerned. Nevertheless, there is too much reason to think she is, in some way unknown to us, connected with crime.”
“I have read accounts of persons of these attainments, who have been leagued together, and have carried on a great system of plundering for years, with prodigious success. That, however, was in older countries, where the necessities of a crowded population drive men into extremes. We are hardly sufficiently advanced, or civilized as they call it, for such bold villany[villany].”
“A suspicion of that nature has crossed my mind,” returned Millington, looking askance over his shoulder, as if he apprehended that his friend might hear him. “It will not do, however, to remotely hint to John anything of the sort. His mind is beyond the influence of testimony.”