"That's why I am so anxious that you should sit on this case if you can, Victor, not leave it to Deemster Taubman. Old Judges often refuse to investigate collateral facts, and so the woman is punished and the man goes free."
"They can't do otherwise, dear. They can't try the man."
"Not if he has been a party to the crime?"
"A party...."
"Yes! I'm satisfied that in this case he is, too."
The girl might be guilty, but she could not have done all she was charged with. It was physically impossible. Somebody must have helped her. And that somebody (the old mother having to be ruled out) must be the man who had it to his interest to save his miserable character by concealing the fact that the girl had given birth to a child at all.
Stowell had as much as he could do to cover his embarrassment. He lowered his voice and said,
"That's a blind alley. I've read the Depositions. I'm sure it is, dear."
"Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't," said Fenella. "I intend to follow it up anyway."
"How?" said Stowell, but rather with his mouth than his voice.