"My poor boy," she said gently, and she tapped the back of his hand with the tips of her wasted fingers, "even if your plans succeed, life will be a hard road still."
"Yes, yes, I know that, mother. But to have someone to live for and care for will make it easier." And he bent his head and kissed her.
"God alone can tell that, my boy," she said wistfully. "But oh, you've been a long time coming to me."
"I wonder if it has seemed so long to you as to me?" he questioned.
"But why did they not release you sooner?" she asked. "Oh, it seems months ago since they told me that Jim Brewer had confessed."
"Can anybody tell why stupid officialism ever does anything at all?" he questioned. "Liberty is a goddess bound, and justice is fettered and cannot run."
"I know nothing about that," she answered slowly, "but it seemed an easy thing to set you free when your innocence had been proved."
"No, mother; nothing is easy when you are caught in the blind and blundering toils of the law."
"But what is the law for, my boy?"
He laughed softly and yet bitterly.