"I can promise you nothing," repeated the judge.
"Then what's the use of my tellin' you the truth?" demanded Montgomery.
"It has become the part of wisdom, since you have already admitted that you have perjured yourself."
"Boss, if it wasn't John North I seen in the alley that day, who was it?" and he strode close to the judge's side, dropping his voice to a whisper.
"Perhaps the whole story was a lie."
The handy-man laughed and drew himself up aggressively.
"I'm a man as can do damage—I got to be treated right, or by the Lord I'll do damage! I been badgered and hounded by Marsh and Andy Gilmore till I'm fair crazy. They got to take their hands off me and leave me loose, for I won't hang no man on their say-so! John North never done me no harm, I got nothing agin him!"
"You have admitted that your whole story of seeing John North on the night of the McBride murder is a lie," said the judge.
"Boss, there is truth enough in it to hang a man!"
"You saw a man cross McBride's sheds?"