Carlin looked at her with concern, wishing to break the matter gently to her, for it had been deeply impressed upon him that to disturb Mary was to disturb the baby also, and that any interference with her sacred function was a crime—sacrilege, in fact. He hesitated.
"I know—it's that Barclay!... But what are you going to do?"
"Why—there may be some trouble getting him out of town—"
"Yes, I heard about it. But why do you—"
"Well, I'm sworn in as a deputy to defend him, if—"
"Laurence!"
"Yes, defend him—he's going to have a fair trial, if I—and look here, Mary, I might as well tell you, the Judge and I are going to defend him at the trial."
Paler than before, she laid down her comb and gazed at him. He finished loading the revolver and slipped a box of cartridges into his pocket.
"Defend that man? I don't believe you mean it, Laurence, the Judge wouldn't."