“In spite of the evidence?”
“Bother the evidence! You know, an’ I know, that lots of evidence is cooked up.”
“Yes, that’s true. I will say this,” continued the policeman, thoughtfully, “that after a long experience with crooks of all sorts, this boy don’t impress me as being guilty. But the evidence is mighty strong against him, you’ll admit, and the chances are a jury will convict him without argument. Too bad, if he’s innocent; but many an innocent man is serving time because he couldn’t explain away the circumstantial evidence against him.”
CHAPTER VII
HOW TOBY FOUND A FRIEND
The discovery of the incriminating papers cost Toby the confidence of many of his fellow townsmen. Popular opinion had been about evenly divided, before that, but it was hard to argue innocence in the face of such adverse evidence. Yet, even while conceding the boy’s guilt, the Riverdale people were regretful and grieved rather than condemnatory.
“Ye see, it’s this way,” said Tom Rathbun the grocer to a crowd that had gathered in his store; “Toby’s a nice little chap an’ has tried to be honest. But he comes of bad stock; his father owed me seven dollars when he died an’ his mother were addicted to drink, as you’ll all remember. ’Tain’t to be wondered at that with such parents Toby inherited some desprit bad failin’s, an’ when the jedge died, an’ the boy’s fat job was killed, he jes’ natcherly yielded to the temptation to take Mrs. Ritchie’s box, knowin’ it were full o’ money. Seems like if the jedge had lived Toby’d ’a’ kep’ himself honest, an’ growed up to be a decent man; but when he lost his best friend he backslid an’ got caught at it.”
Rathbun’s expression voiced the sentiment of the majority, although a few staunch friends refused to admit the evidence against Toby Clark. Perhaps the boy’s most bitter condemnation came from Dave Hunter, the young telegraph operator, who seemed certain of Toby’s guilt and proclaimed his conviction everywhere and on every occasion.
Lawyer Kellogg was jubilant over his success in “landing his bird at the first shot,” as he proudly stated, and swaggered more pompously than ever. Mrs. Ritchie, however did not congratulate him. The woman seemed terribly nervous over the missing contents of her box and rated her lawyer for not recovering them. One important paper, especially, had disappeared, she claimed, and she laid more stress on Kellogg’s finding that than on finding her money and bonds, although she was notoriously careful of her money.
“Drat the mortgages an’ deeds!” she cried angrily; “no one could turn ’em into money if they tried; it’s the negotiable stuff I want. An’ you’ve got to get it, Abner Kellogg. The boy ain’t had a chance to spend the money, or sell the bonds, an’ there’s no reason you can’t make him give ’em up. Whatever else you do, though, you’ve got to find that other paper. I want it, an’ I’m goin’ to have it! We’ve got the thief, all right, so why don’t you get back my property?”