“You got business here, too, I suppose?” sez Badger-face, turnin’ to the Friar.
“Yes,” sez the Friar calmly. “I came here entirely by accident; but now it is my business to inquire into why you have a rope about this man’s neck. You recall havin’ put me into a similar perdicament, Mr. Flannigan.”
“Yes, an’ the only thing I regret is, that I was interrupted,” growls Badger-face. “But this time, the’ ain’t any chance to change the programme, so you might just as well poke on into some one else’s affairs.”
“What’s the matter, Olaf?” asked the Friar.
Before Olaf could reply, Badger-face gave a jerk on the rope. “You shut up,” sez he.
“Surely you will give the man a chance to speak,” cried the Friar, indignant.
“It won’t do him no good to speak,” sez Badger-face. “He’s committed a murder, but of course he denies it. Now, get out o’ here, all three of ya.”
“Listen,” sez the Friar, as steady an’ strong as the sweep of a deep river, “I care more for justice ’n I do for law. I know that hangin’ a man has never done any good; but it is usually regarded as a legal form of punishment, and the prejudice in its favor is still too strong for one man to overcome. If you convince me that this man would be hung by a court, why, I shall never say a word about it; but if you do not convince me, I shall stir up all the trouble I can. I have quite a number of friends, Mr. Flannigan.”
Badger-face studied over this a moment; and he saw it had sense. “All right,” sez he, “we’ll try him fair an’ square; and then you three will have to help string him, an’ I guess that’ll keep your mouths shut.”
“Tell your story, Olaf,” sez the Friar.