“I’ll never tell.”
“My friends and relations are all responsible for me, in a way, and I am responsible to them,” said Phoebe reflectively. “One thing that would keep me from willfully doing wrong is the knowledge that I would grieve others—those near and dear to me.”
“To be sure!” replied Sam, rubbing his hands together; “you’re arguin’ on my side now, Phoebe. S’pose in a moment of weakness you yielded to temptation? We’re all so blamed human that we can’t be sure of ourselves. S’pose you had a hankerin’ for that money of Mrs. Ritchie’s, an’ s’pose on a sudden you got a chance to take it—an’ took it before you thought? Well; there you are. Prison for you; shame and humiliation for all that are dear to you. Eh? Toby Clark? Well, it’s too bad, but it won’t hurt Toby so very much. He couldn’t expect much in life, anyhow, with his poverty, his bad foot, an’ the only man that could push him ahead dead an’ gone. But what’s one ruined career as compared to—say—half a dozen? Toby’ll take his sentence easy, ’cause he’s strong in his innocence. The others would be heartbroken. It’s far better to let Toby do the penance, seems to me.”
Phoebe could not answer him just then. She was too bewildered. The girl understood perfectly Sam’s position and realized that in opposing it she expressed less charity and kindliness than the constable.
“I’m going to think about it,” she said to him. “I’m so surprised and confused right now by what you’ve told me that my senses have gone glimmering. But it strikes me, Sam, that we ought to find a way to save Toby without implicating the guilty one at all.”
He shook his head negatively.
“That would be fine, but it can’t be done,” he replied. “We’ve got to produce the thief to get Toby out of the mess, for otherwise the evidence will convict him.”
“Can’t we destroy the evidence—upset it—prove it false?” inquired the girl.
“Not with safety to—the other party. But do as you say; go home an’ think it over. The more you think the more you’ll feel I’m right, an’ that your best course is to lie low an’ let Toby take his medicine. The life in prison ain’t so bad; plenty to eat, a clean bed and work to occupy his time.”
“But afterward? If he lives to come out he will be despised and avoided by everyone. No one cares to employ a jail-bird.”