Only I determined that whichever way the trial went, I would speak straight out to Nan, as soon as ever it was over, and ask her to be my wife, and let me protect and provide for her to my life’s end.
It come off sooner than even I had expected, but I purposely didn’t tell Nan of the exact date, for I didn’t want to have no scenes in court, and thought it far better that she shouldn’t be there.
Besides, I was very doubtful how the case would go, and feared the worst for poor Nick.
When the time came, and he was brought into court, I thought I had never seen six weeks make such a change in a strong young man.
He was white and thin and haggard. His cheeks was sunken, so was his eyes, but he bore a defiant look with it all, as though he dared the jury to call him guilty. However, right don’t always win in this world, and everything went against him.
The court made very short work of the case. Looseley’s evidence and mine was taken before everybody, and Nick hadn’t nothing to say for himself, except that he didn’t know how the watch got in his pocket, which nobody believed. I thought I knew, but I was not allowed to say so. You can’t give evidence of what you think, only of what you know. And all I knew for certain was that I saw Looseley take the watch out of Nick’s pocket.
The watch was in court, of course. It had never been owned, and the judge ordered it to be locked up again until claimed. But the jury found Nick guilty, and he was sentenced to seven years’ transportation. I was standing next the dock, and he turned an agonized face towards me, as his sentence was pronounced.
“Nan!” he gasped.
“I will see after her,” I answered, and I could read the thanks in his poor face.
As soon as I was off duty that night I made a run for her lodgings, and found her sitting up, pale and mournful.