When Nick walked away from the scene of the trial near the fire, he found that Handsome was beside him, and then, before either uttered a word, Madge joined them.
She was smiling as if she were well pleased with her evening's work, and she said to the detective:
"You did well, Turner. One would suppose that you had at some time been a lawyer."
"I'd 'a' got the man free if I'd had a fair judge and jury," replied Nick boldly, stroking the white whiskers he wore.
Madge frowned. Then she laughed aloud.
"I like you for your boldness," she said. "But have a care that you do not find yourself suddenly in the same predicament, Turner."
"I'd be inclined to shoot myself afore I came to trial, if I should," Nick retorted.
They had reached Madge's cabin by this time, and now they mounted to the porch, and Nick pulled out an old pipe that Turner had given him, filled it, and lighted it.
The detective was determined in his own mind that before the dawn of another day he would find some way to save Patsy; but how it was to be done he had no idea.
He did not know yet what disposition they intended to make of him. For all he knew they might send him into one of the cabins and lock him up for the night. But he did know that unless he acted, Patsy would be murdered at sunrise the following morning, and he did not intend to permit that to happen.