“Gertie, I will not allow you to compare yourself and your sister with what could happen. I am like daughter Amelia. I am not going to forgive him—no, not I. I shall return to my home and feel very uncomfortable in it, after knowing how it was obtained. Come, my daughters.”
“I shall return, papa,” said Gertie, “and see you. I shall always love you, for you have been a good father to me. You gave me my education and provided instruction in music. No one can take that away from me. I shall always remember you and love you and I shall do all that I can for you in times to come. Good-bye, dear papa. Do not weep. Mother and sister can never turn my love from you. If I ever can redeem your good name for you, I shall be repaid for all, and I hope and pray that I shall be able to do so.”
“Gertie, you have said enough to your convict father. Come at once. We must leave thishorrid place, never to return. Come, come, daughters.”
Addressing her husband, the wife said: “You got in this trouble without your family’s assistance, and you can get out the same way.”
“Oh, mother! do not talk so cruelly to papa. I know his heart is broken. I am sure that he believed himself right when he made the statement that his brother was dead. He did not dream that his brother was alive, or that he would ever hear of him again.”
“Gertie, go along with your mother. I will suffer alone.”
“I will share it with you, papa. Good-bye.”
“Mr. Pearson, I shall place you in the second room here, and I shall call in the officials for consultation and see what can be done. I regret very much to have to do so, but it is my duty.”
“I am a prisoner here, and shall obey your rules. I will step inside. You may take me in. I shall not cause you any unnecessary trouble.”
“Well, I have got a job, to turn the key on the gentleman. I’ll just step in. I feel I have saved meself a good many steps by finding meself a resting-place so near.” It was Pat, talking to himself.
“I was just turning to call for you, Pat.”
“Well, I am here.”
“You may see that water is in the room for Pearson, then lock the door.”
“I will do that, your honor, with pleasure. Where is the man to occupy the room?”
“He has stepped in there, Pat.”
“Very obliging, he is. I think that bating did him some good.
“Here is some water for you, sir, and if you want annything, call me. Or have I given you all you wanted me to—faith, I mane in the way of a bating?
“The poor fellow sits there with his head down as though I had never said a word to him, so I’ll lock him in and let him slape it off.”
“Pat, I am going to call in the high officials to-day, and I want you to be present; I am going to call on you for some of your knowledge.”
“How in the devil do you know where my knowledge-place is? You may have it all and I will find me another resting-place.”
“Pat, you do not understand me. I meant that you must tell what you know about this Pearson and his brother. Explain what you mean by giving me all the place of knowledge.”
“Well, your honor, you see I have been wanted here and there so manny times I foundmeself a resting-place outside of this office, so I could be here when you wanted me—and when you didn’t want me.”
“Do you call that a ‘knowledge-place’? I should call it a ‘resting-place.’”
“I rested while I was getting my knowledge.”
“You were reading, were you?”
“Devil a bit did I read.”
“How, then, did you get your knowledge?”
“Well, if you have things that you try to keep from hearing—and indade I tried to keep from hearing the poor family crying, I was dropping a few tears meself—then—”
“You heard the conversation, did you?”
“I don’t know if that is what you call it, but I don’t care to hear anny more of it; the last toime I felt the way I did was when the only friend I ever had died, and that was me dog. I never had a poor father or mother—if I did, they never told me about it; but one kind lady told the good woman that raised me I was too small to know me father and mother, so I don’t know anny, and if I had anny—God bless ’em!—their son never had to swear all the children was dead to get what the old folks left.”
“Pat, you have heard all about this, have you?”
“I don’t know what ‘this’ is. You mane have I heard something about this poor man’s troubles?”
“Here are the officials, now. You may go. I shall send for you.”
“I am glad I can go. I am not going to meet the high officials. They might be so high I couldn’t make meself heard. I’ll just sit meself down.”
“Good morning, gentlemen.”
“Good morning.” “Good morning.”
“Why have we been called?”
“Mr. McHenry, there has been trouble here in regard to one of the prisoners who is a very poor man. Strange things have happened since he has been in the prison, and the strangest part of all is that he is a brother of Officer Pearson.”
“A brother of Officer Pearson?”
“The man was convicted of murder on circumstantial evidence.”
“Of murder—a brother of Officer Pearson!”
“Yes. I’ll explain further. I have a telegram here, stating that the real murderer has confessed.”
“Well, I am glad. I hope that his brotheris not a murderer. I have a high regard for Officer Pearson.”
“Gentlemen, the worst is yet to come. Mr. Pearson is himself under lock and key.”
“I dare say you are telling the truth.”
“I am, sir. He was heard trying to bribe his brother to swear falsely—to deny his own name.”
“Pray, what was that for?”
“I regret to say that he has swindled his brother out of his part of the estate by swearing the brother was dead. By doing this, Mr. Pearson fell heir to the entire estate, which was large, and he lost it all, except the home which his family now occupies.”
“The poor man! What was the amount?”
“In the hundreds of thousands.”
“Well, well! How sorry I am to hear that about Mr. Pearson!”
“You have not heard all yet about Mr. Pearson. I am going to explain it all. He threatened to kill his brother if he did not swear that he had been registered under an assumed name. In that way Pearson hoped not to be recognized as the convict’s brother.”
“You are relating something that can be verified, are you?”
“I am.”
“Where did you get your information?”
“I have a very trustworthy guard that overheard some things.”
“You are not believing all these things from hearsay, are you?”
“I have heard enough myself to be convinced that Mr. Pearson is guilty.”
“Call Mr. Pearson in.”
“Well, here is where I bring in the fellow with the black eye. I’ll just step to the door, by accident,” said Pat, outside.
“Pat, step in and show Mr. Pearson in.”
“I will, your honor.”
“Oh! you have him in there, have you, locked up?”
“I believe I mentioned the fact that I had him under lock and key.”
“My god, man, what have you done to this poor man?”
“Mr. Pearson, I am sorry to see this.”
Pat muttered in a low voice: “You would be doing a good turn if you would go to the poor wife and give some sympathy to those beautiful daughters. They have never stole annything and threatened to kill afterwards if the one they robbed hollered about it. I havegiven him a good bating, and I think it did him good, but I never want the ladies to come here again and do anny more crying. I had to drop a tear meself.”
“Officer, what does this mean? Did you allow that Irishman to beat this poor man like this before his family?”
“No, sir; his family were not here.”
“He spoke of their tears.”
“They were here afterward, and—”
“Go on and tell what happened. I am astonished.”
“I have explained what he did. I do not see why, as he has violated the law, he should not be locked up as any other prisoner is.”
“A man is not guilty until proved so.”
“And I order this man to be turned loose. You have no authority to claim him as a prisoner. He has never been arrested, no warrant for him has been issued, and I do not believe him guilty.”
“I am in a position to prove his guilt.”
“I do not believe you, sir.”
“I shall ask Pearson to speak for himself.”
“You—Mr. Pearson I am speaking to—please tell the officials here what you told your wife and daughters.”
“I am willing to plead guilty.”
“Oh, my God! And my son to marry a daughter of this man! I can not allow him to do so. Take Pearson away—take him away and do what you please with him. I have heard enough from his own lips—‘I plead guilty.’”
“Come, McHenry, I have had nothing to say, and now I do not want to say anything. I have heard enough.”
“This is awful. My son to marry this man’s daughter! The engagement was announced last night. The marriage shall never take place.”
“Come along, Mr. McHenry. We can talk that over after we leave here.”
“Good morning, sir.”
“Good morning, gentlemen.”
“Well, Pat, you may place the prisoner in cell 77.”
“Come along. You are a fine bird, you are. You are not satisfied with ruining your own reputation, but you had to bring sorrow to your daughter. Your children must suffer along with yourself. I pity the poor young man that is engaged to marry the girl. I have been there meself. I was engaged to a beautiful girl, and when the father found out some things he would never listen to me marrying her, and it was notbecause I stole all the money I could lay me hands on; it was because I was a Irishman.
“Well, you have got a nice place here. ’Tis a pity you had not been here all the time, then you would have had all your money yet.
“I’ll drop around male times, and see if you have the same as the other gentlemen get here.”
“I am not fully decided what to do,” said the superintendent. “I must write at once and acknowledge the receipt of this telegram, and I must see that the proper authorities get the confession of this man Pearson, and place him where he should be. And if Clarence is proved innocent, he ought to be freed at once.
“I hear a faint knock. I hope that it is not Pearson’s wife. I must open the door. They know that I am here at this hour of the day.
“Good morning, Miss Gertie.”
“I have brought papa something to eat. I had such a hard time to get this for him. Mother and sister went shopping, and while they were gone I did some baking and brought it to papa. May I see him?”
“I will see that your father gets it, Miss Gertie. If you are in a hurry to return before your mother and sister get home, you had better go at once.”
“Oh, no! I want to see papa. I want to tell him something. Is he not in this room where he was before?”
“Well, no—I—had—to use that room, and I gave him another room. I think that he is asleep now. He had a very restless night. I feel that he should not be disturbed.”
“Officer, I must see him. I want to tell him something. I have a secret to tell him—not exactly a secret, but it is to papa, perhaps.”
“I am sorry, but I shall have to deliver the message for you. I am worthy of your confidence. I do feel very sorry for you and your father. Pray trust me with the secret. I’ll deliver it as it is given to me.”
“Officer, I am heart-broken. I do want to see papa.”
“I think I have him where I can put me hand on him, and I hope I’ll never have to put me club on him again, for I feel sorry every toime I hear the daughter cry. Poor girl! I hope she won’t come here again. If she does, I hope she will lave the tears at home, for every toime I hear her cry I think of me poor dog,” said Pat, outside. “I’ll be going along by the office and see if I’m wanted.”
“Here comes Pat. I’ll have him bring your father in, if he is not asleep.
“Pat, save yourself the bother of coming in, and go and see if Mr. Pearson is awake. If so, tell him I want to see him.”
“Mr. Guard—Pat, please bring papa. If he is asleep, waken him and tell him that I am here.”
“I was in hopes the poor girl would not come again, but here she is, and bring him in I will. It’s the furst toime in me life annyone called me by the handle to me name. It’s always ‘Pat,’ but she called me ‘Mr. Pat.’ I’d do annything for the girl. I’d even treat the father nice. Poor man, maybe, after all, he really thought his brother was dead.
“Mr. Pearson, your honor, will you please come along with me, and oblige me? Your beautiful daughter is in the office and wants to tell you something.”
“Pat, I do not care to see her. I know how the poor girl will feel to leave me, and if she does not see me, it will not be so hard on her nor on me.”
“I wish you would come. She is waiting for you, and indade, I’d be disobeying ordersto go back without you, and I don’t want to take you, as I have done.”
“I will go, then. Pat, you talk like a good sort of a fellow, after all, and I’ll go peacefully with you.”
“Thank you, sir. This is a wise man.”
“Miss Gertie, we have visiting rules. I will give you this card, and you can see the days we have for company.”
“Oh, Mr. Officer! could I not come any time? You know I have to watch for my chance to get away. I could not see papa often enough.”
“Now, you may step in and talk with your daughter. I have some very important business to take care of.”
“Pat, come around soon again. I may need you to take some mail to the train, as I am anxious to have the letters go at once.”
“Well, I may as well sit meself down and get some more knowledge. I hope I will not hear anny crying. Poor girl, how she did rush to her papa and kiss him! If I had a daughter to kiss me, I would fall dead,” mused Pat.
“Oh, papa, I am so glad I could come and bring you something to eat! Mother and sister were out shopping and I found the opportunity to bring this to you. And I so wantedto bring you some news. Papa, you know Amelia is going to marry Clyde McHenry? Oh, papa, you are so pale! Are you ill?”
“Daughter, I fear the marriage will never take place.”
“Why, papa? The engagement was announced last night, and the date set six weeks from then. Would you object, papa?”
“No, daughter; I would not interfere with the marriage, but—but—”
“Well, papa, what do you want to say?”
“It will all be known soon enough, and the dear girl will suffer, I know.”
“Oh, dear papa, don’t cry so hard! I am trying to be brave for you, and I want you to for me—and Amelia will be happy.”
“Well, if the man isn’t crying! It’s not enough to hear the ladies, and when the men begin I’ll have to move on, I think. I have enough knowledge for to last the rest of me life,” muttered Pat.
“Pat, you may take this letter to the train. Pat, you are wanted. I wonder if he has forgot his orders.”
“Oh, the devil take you! I’m coming, as soon as I get these tears all out of me eyes,” mumbledPat. Then aloud: “Yes, I’m coming. What can I do for you?”
“Mail this letter on the morning train. Do not delay getting it off.
“Miss Gertie, I shall have to ask you if you have visited long enough with your father?” said the superintendent.
“I am very thankful to you, sir. I shall visit papa soon again. I hope that I may be allowed to see him any time when I can get away. You see, sister is making arrangements for her marriage, to take place in six weeks, and she and mother will be away from home at different times. I could then hurry and come to see papa, and please, officer, could I be admitted at any time?”
“Miss Gertie, I should like to grant you the privilege, but I fear I can not do so. I am sworn to follow prison rules.”
“Oh, how cruel! To know that I could not be allowed the pleasure—the only pleasure I have—of seeing my father!”
“I am very sorry. I would help you to do anything possible without violating the prison rules.”
“Dear child, go now. You must, as you know that we are not obeying orders, and I am very thankful for the pleasure the officer hasgiven us—to see each other. I want you to thank him and go.”
“Papa, I did thank him, and will again. Oh! if I only knew that I could return often to see you, I could go more contentedly. Good-bye, dear papa. Do not worry, papa; I shall always be your Gertie, and a dutiful daughter.
“Good-bye. I thank you, officer.”
“Mr. Pearson, you have a beautiful daughter,” said the superintendent as the girl passed out; “not only in looks, but she is good and loyal to her father. How proud I should be of a daughter like her!”
“I am proud of her. And I am ashamed to think that I have brought on her this disgrace. I feel that I shall never again be able to hold up my head, if I should get out of here.”
“Do not talk like that. We can live down disgrace and you can show the world that you are not a bad man, after all, at heart, and I don’t think you are, Pearson.”
“Well, I’m glad I made the train all right,” said Pat, “and I got the letter off. I feel better now—not so ornery. I will take me toime going back. What do I see? The dear little girl that called me name with the handle on it? And I do believe she is crying. Now, I can’tstand to pass her and see her shedding tears. What could I say to comfort her? Well, if I don’t say anny more than ‘howdy,’ it will help some.
“How do you do?”
“Oh, dear! I was not looking up, and I didn’t see you.”
“I know you didn’t see me, but I saw you, and I want to spake to you, for sympathy’s sake.”
“I thank you, Mr. Pat. I am so sad to think I can not see papa often. I can not get away always on the visiting days, and would have to come when I could find the opportunity.”
“Well, I will see if you can not get in when you come.”
“Oh, no! you are very kind, but the officer in charge said that he was sworn to do his duty, and the rules of the prison are, ‘No visitors except on visiting day.’ I shall have to come when I can get away on visiting days.”
“Well, I hope to be able to break the rules.”
“You must not do so on my account, or make any attempt to do so, Mr. Pat.”
“What could I say next?” thought Pat.
“I will be looking for you if you will say when you will call to see your father again.”
“I do not know that I could come when I would plan to do so—if I could come on the days set aside for visitors.”
“Well, may I ask how I could help you?”
“I do not know now. I thank you. Oh, yes! please be kind to papa, won’t you, please, Mr. Pat?”
“That I will, indade! I will, and I will see that he has plenty to eat and drink. Now I must move on back to me job. Good-bye.”
“He has promised to look after papa, and I shall be so grateful to him for his kindness—shown to my dear, heart-broken father. I will beg my mother again, when she has relented toward me, to let me visit my dear papa on the right days. What pleasure I shall have, looking forward to the times when I may see him, if mother will only consent!”
“Pat, you back? I think it has taken you a long time to go to the train and back. Why the delay?”
“Well, your honor, I am back and ready to do annything you want me to.”
“You may see that Mr. Pearson is locked in cell 77.”
“Mr. Pearson, will you kindly come along with me? I am not doing this as a pleasure, but as my sworn duty.”
“Pat, I understand your position. I know I had to do many things I did not like to do, but I understand the prison rules, and I’ll obey orders.”
“You will please step in here, Mr. Pearson. I am going to see that you have plenty to eat and drink. That I promised your daughter.”
“You promised my daughter? When did you have the opportunity to talk to her? I have been in her presence each time and all of the time when she was here, and she has visited me only twice.”
“Faith, and did you not hear the officer ask me why the delay? Well, as I was coming back from the train I met your daughter, and she was feeling bad, and I felt sorry for her and tried to comfort her the best I could, and I bade the time of day to her.”
“Was that all of the conversation you had?”
“No, sir; I asked the poor, heart-broken girl if I could do annything for her, and the only thing I could do to help her I couldn’t do, but I offered to try, but she shook her head andsaid, ‘No, indade.’ She don’t take after you for honesty.”
“Pat, what was the help you offered her?”
“You understand the same as meself that the rules here don’t allow visiting only on visiting days, and the girl said she couldn’t always get away on visiting days.”
“What could you help her to do, Pat?”
“I thought, perhaps, I could change the rule.”
“Pat, you are a good fellow, and I do not know how to thank you for all of your kindness.”
“Wait a minute. I don’t need anny thanking for bating you. I got me spite off you then.”
“I wonder what is keeping Pat so long,” thought the superintendent. “Did I tell him to return? I do not believe I did. Well, I’ll throw the lock on and step around and see if I can see him near. I will just walk toward the new prisoner’s cell, and perhaps I may meet Pat.
“Almost there, and I do not see him? I’ll just step up and look inside cell 77.
“What do I hear? Pat’s voice inside? I must find out what this means.”
“Pat, you have had a hard time all your life, working, haven’t you?” said the prisoner.
“Me b’y,” returned Pat, “I never knew annything but work.”
“Well, Pat, don’t you think that a man would be foolish to work if he could live without it?”
“Indade I do.”
“Pat, would you like to live without working if you had a chance?”
“I would be a gentleman if I could. They was always something about a man that did not work I rather admired, and wondered how they felt, dressed up all the time.”
“Pat, if you had the chance, you would try it, wouldn’t you?”
“Well, faith, and I think I would.”
“Pat, you understand what I’m here for?”
“Faith, and I don’t want to be here for the same purpose you are, to be a gentleman, or to be a officer as you was.”
“No, that was by choice, Pat, I was here. I have plenty of money, and now it will do me no good, if I am to stay in here, and if I were out of here, I would have enough to last us both the rest of our lives. Now, Pat, can you find a way to get me away from here, so this place will never see nor hear of either of us again?”
“Well, me friend, what would be the job I would have after we got away from here?”
“Did I not tell you that you would never have to work any more?”
“And I would be a gentleman, then?”
“Yes, you would, Pat. Now, let me plan this. You are trusted, and the superintendent has confidence in you, and you can get me out of here, and walk out yourself, and then we can leave the country together.”
“And what would the poor man do without me help?”
“Oh, go along! What does he care for your help? There are many others who would be glad to take your place, and you would be a gentleman then, Pat. Just think of it!”
“Well, I can’t think of a gentleman in me, as I never was one.”
“Of course, you always had to work, but you will never have to if you get me away from here. Come, Pat, wake up! You may never have the chance again to be a gentleman.”
“I will study this over and see if I want this chance. I feel the cold chills run up and down me back. Does that belong to the appearance of a gentleman?”
“It does. You see, just talking about it, you are feeling the gentleman vibrations.”
“Well, I think I have got the plot, and what I miss now I can get along without. I will hasten to the office,” the superintendent whispered.
Pat continued: “I think I’ll be getting along back to the office, Mr. Pearson. The superintendent will be after asking me, ‘Why the delay?’”
“Come around often, Pat, and talk to me.”
“That I will. Well, I am a gentleman, or can be if I want to give up me job here.”
“Pat, I have been looking for you for some time. You are not so lively as you used to be. Are you feeling your age? You look worried. Pray tell me what is the trouble,” said the officer as Pat entered the office.
“I have no trouble. I am wondering how a man feels that don’t have to work or have anny trouble.”
“I don’t know, Pat. I never had such a job. I always had to work hard for my honest living.”
“Then the gentleman that is called the gentleman is not honest?”
“Not all, Pat. It would not include allwealthy men, but it would close the bars around some of them.
“Yes, and after the bars is closed, it is hard to get away, isn’t it? I was thinking what a ⸺ of a time a man would have to get out of town if he could get from behind the bars.”
“Some prisoners have got away and were never found, and again, some were caught in the act of getting away.”
“And the results, if caught?”
“Pat, are you thinking of helping someone away? I never before heard you talk this way.”
“I am thinking of the past, if a fellow lost his job, and of the future, if he found another one better.”
“Are you thinking of leaving here, Pat?”
“Not if annyone would know it, I’m not leaving here.”
“You know, Pat, I have always esteemed you very highly, and I should be very much disappointed if I had to lose confidence in you.”
“You would be glad to place confidence in me, wouldn’t you?”
“I surely would place all the confidence in the world in you, and would trust you with all of the prisoners and feel as safe as if I were here myself.”
“I would take care of them one at a time—no other way.”
“I know you would, Pat. I feel confident you would now, after this talk with you.”
“I’m glad you feel that way. I may never hurt your feelings more than once.”
“We can always forgive once, Pat, and sometimes twice, but you know the old adage, ‘The third time is the charm.’”
“They would be only two and the third time would not be here.”
“I do not understand, Pat, what made Pearson confess so meekly. He could at least have pleaded innocent until his trial. You know sometimes things look dark, and then a criminal can get out of it.”
“Perhaps he thinks he can get out of here.”
“Well, we will not have his trial here and now, without judge or jury; so, Pat, you may go and see if all is right among your fellow-men.”
“I wonder if he understood what I meant to tell him all the time—what I was going to do—when he said he could forgive once and twice, and the old adage. I just as good as told him it would be twice, two of us, and the third time not here, and that was the daughter; she is not here to help get away, so there is the whole thing in a nut-shell. And the blockhead did not get it.”
“I think Pat thinks he will make his get-away with his prisoner, and be a gentleman. I’m sorry for Pat. Now I have a problem to solve within myself. Shall I let him go aheadand make his plans, or shall I stop him before he gets started, and save the poor Irishman from occupying cell No. 76? I believe I can gain some knowledge by being deaf to it all. He is surely a clever Irishman, and I will see what plans he will make to escape with his prisoner, and I may be gaining knowledge, but I could not do so by sitting on Pat’s seat of knowledge, so I think I will not leave this office.”
“I hope that I shall receive a reply in regard to the real murderer, and that he will be brought here. That will help to open the way to a clear discovery of all this plot.
“What! A knock? I do hope that I shall not find a lady there.”
“Good morning, officer.”
“Good morning, Mr. McHenry.” The visitor was Mr. McHenry, junior. “What can I do for you?”
“I should like to talk with you in regard to your new prisoner, Mr. Pearson. My father brought me the news, and I am not doubting him, but I truly would be better satisfied if I heard it through someone else also. Father was in such a rage that I could not calm him enoughto understand the circumstances. I should appreciate your explaining it all to me.”
“My boy, I am very sorry to say that I have to do my duty and the rules here we must comply with. We are not allowed to give out any information in regard to our prisoners, except to the officials.”
“I ask for only enough to understand. Do you not see that I am in trouble? Can not you help me? Do tell me that he is innocent. It means so much to me.”
“My young friend, I understand the circumstances. I learned them through your father. I am sorry for you and for the daughter of this man, but I am powerless to do anything.”
“Could I talk with him?”
“No; I am not allowed to permit any information to be obtained inside of these prison walls.”
“I am sure that it would never be known. I would never divulge the secret.”
“I have confidence in you, but I should not be obeying rules here, and I could not allow you the privilege under any circumstances.”
“I shall have to go, as I am unable to learn anything. Oh! could I not see him, just for one short conversation?”
“I am sorry. I must repeat that I can not allow you your wish, so please do not insist. It makes me feel bad to know, as I do, your predicament, and to hear you plead. I can not help you. There, I would not do that! The guard is coming. It is not necessary to let him see you shedding tears, and I would rather you would go before he comes in.”
“I will go. I thank you for your sympathy, and I am certain you would have granted my request if it had been in your power to do so.”
“I would, certainly. Good-bye.”
“Good day, sir.”
“Well, now I am getting in deeper. Even the poor young man’s heart is broken. Engaged to the belle of the city, and not allowed to marry on account of the misdeeds of her father. Poor boy! My heart did ache for him when he broke down and cried.”
“Well, I am after coming back. Do you need me?”
“I don’t think I do, Pat. I am looking for some very important news. Outside of that, I would let you take charge of the office and I would take a stroll through the prison. I get very tired, sitting here from morning until night,and I like to take a walk around the inside walls, now and then, for exercise.”
“You may do so. I will watch the place. I will see that no one comes in.”
“Will you see that no one goes out, Pat? That is what I am here for. Very few want to break in and many would like to break out.”
“You are not thinking of any one in particular, are you?”
“Oh, no! Almost any one of the prisoners would walk out if he had the chance.”
“If they did, I surely would walk out with them.”
“We are not looking for trouble, Pat. It probably will come soon enough. Open the door. I thought I heard a rap.”
“So you did, and so did I.”
It was a messenger-boy. The communication read:
“We have a prisoner here, a confessed murderer. Will leave for your place in the morning.”
“All right, no answer,” the superintendent called to the waiting messenger.
“I am so glad to receive this.”
“Is that the looked-for message?”
“It is, and the self-confessed murderer will be here to-morrow evening. With him theywill bring the papers releasing No. 78, Clarence Pearson, an innocent man. Do you know anything about this, Pat? You sit there and do not look alarmed or excited over anything I am telling you. I usually act so when I understand it all.”
“Well, I have nothing to say. If I did, I would say it without you asking me to. If I am not wanted, I’ll stroll around; or do you want me to keep house and you stroll around? It is nearly bed-time.”
“No; I think I shall retire, as I have been somewhat worried to-day. I shall lock up at once, and try to get around early in the morning, Pat. We shall have a new man to take care of to-morrow.”
“I’ll do that, sir.”
“Now Pat is gone, and he will no doubt go at once to 77 cell and tell Pearson all he has learned. I wanted him to know that the man is coming and the brother would be a free man. I think I had best get some more information, so I’ll just drop around and rest a while in 76 cell and see what the plot will be, as Pearson must know that he will have his trial soon. I feel certain that the officials have been prolonging matters through pity for the family.Mr. McHenry was probably slow to take action because his son was engaged to Pearson’s daughter. Of course he would try to avoid scandal as much as possible. I’ll probably find Pat busy with his prisoner, fixing up their plot, so I’ll lock up here and step around. What? I see Pat’s going in now. I must hurry to get the first of the plot.”
“I’m here, me friend.”
“I’m glad to see you, Pat. We must decide to-night upon some way to make our get-away from here.”
“Yes, and if we are not careful, the brother will bate us out.”
“Have you heard anything?”
“Have I? Well, I heard it all. The real murderer will be here to-morrow, and then what will they hold him for?”
“My brother?”
“Yes, your brother.”
“We must be out of here before to-morrow comes. What can we do? Now, Pat, make your wits work fast.”
“I am thinking, and the main thing I’m thinking about is the money to make the gentleman out of me. Where is the money?”
“Don’t let that worry you, Pat. I have plenty.”
“Well, if you have plenty, if you give your brother back his money, you would be out of here as soon as he would, and save all scandal, and he a poor man freed from here, wouldn’t he keep his mouth shut if he could be made a gentleman out of?”
“Pat, you do not understand.”
“Well, then, explain it to me so I can understand. Can you do it?”
“I have told you that you would never have to work any more and you could be wearing fine clothes all the rest of your life, have I not?”
“That you have, but does that make it so? I’d like to see a pile of greenbacks in front of me before I explain anny further.”
“You see I am here tied up and can not get away. How can I show you the money?”
“Well, me friend, what is better than a clear conscience? Do you think money and a gentleman could show you a better time?”
“Oh, yes! I would not let a conscientious mind prevent me from having a good time the rest of my life.”
“Me friend, your money is not showing you a good time, and the rest of your life your consciencewill hurt you, and the pity and shame you have brought on your family—and those beautiful daughters—their lives are ruined, all by yourself, your greediness for money. No, me friend, I think I would rather be a hard-working Irishman all the rest of me life and have a clear conscience.
“Pat, you are a coward. I thought you would help me out of here.”
“I did not help you in here, and why should I help you out?”
“Do you mean to go back on all the arrangements we have talked over?”
“That is what I do. Now I’ll be telling you.”
“Tell me what made you change your mind and talk this way?”
“Because I heard someone talk the other way.”
“You heard someone talk the other way?”
“Yes, I fully intended to be a gentleman and help you out of this prison, and I thought I would walk around and think it over and see how bad I wanted to be a gentleman, and I got tired and sit meself down in the comfortable chair in the hospital, and there I was thinking it over and I was trying to think if I wanted tobe a gentleman all the rest of me life, and when I asked meself the question I heard the answer, and, faith, I never had me mind made up yet—I was going to think about it a while—and I listened, as if I was hearing someone talking, and behold! I did, and I looked around, and not a soul was in sight, and I asked another question, and I got the answer again, and I thought: ‘If you know so much and can answer all of my questions, I’ll be giving you a job.’ And I had a regular conversation with them, and in the conversation I asked them how much money you had, and they told me not enough to get out of the trouble you was in, so I think you will need it all, and I had better not try to handle anny of it for you.”
“Who was this you were talking with that gave you all of this information?”
“Well, me friend, I don’t know. I did not see annyone, but I surely did hear someone.”
“What are you going to do—let me stay here and serve whatever time is given me?”
“Well, what have I got to do with getting you out?”
“Look here! I’ve got you now where you will have to get me out, or I will get you in here to occupy the next cell, 76.”
“I hardly think! That is taken. The murderer that is coming to-morrow will have that.”
“Well, I am going to get away from here before to-morrow. I shall report to the office, if you do not help me out, of your accepting a bribe, as you agreed to do, to assist me in getting away. And they will look at it this way: If you can be bought off, you would not be a competent man to have in here. And that means you would lose your job, and you would find it hard to get employment elsewhere, for your dishonesty would follow you wherever you went.”
“Just as yours have done. And, me friend Pearson, I have not committed the crime yet, and now I know, I never shall, so you just as well keep your head shut, for I am now in a position where I might show you some favors that I will do; but I will never show you the way out of this place.”
“I am doomed to die here! It will kill me to have sentence passed on me in court, and I am guilty, and it will be proved. Pat, won’t you please help me out? I will do anything for you. I will give you my beautiful daughter Gertie, whom you so much admire.”
“You are very kind. I am after seeing oneyoung man in trouble because he is in love with one of your beautiful daughters, and I’ll be after loving a girl whose dad is out. I won’t have to come to the penitentiary to ask for his girl.”
“Then you have decided to allow me to remain here, have you, Pat?”
“I’m not the court.”
“You are not going to help me out?”
“I am not.”
“You shall rue this day. I shall explain everything to the office to-morrow.”
“I’ll go, then, and let you think about it, so you will have a good story to tell. Good night, Pearson.”
“So Pat has weakened! I’ll see how he talks in the morning. I feel certain that to-morrow the officials will take steps to bring Pearson to trial, and I know that with what proof we have—and he has also pleaded guilty in the presence of the officials themselves—he will be sentenced for a number of years. I must now return to the office. I think Pat is out of sight. The crisis will come to-morrow.”
“Well, me friend is mad because I do not help him out of his trouble and help meself into trouble. I wonder where I heard that voice.I’m glad I heard it when I did, and not after I did the dirty work.”
“My boy, I was following you all the time, and would not have allowed you to commit the crime.”
“What do I hear? Another voice, or is it the same? Well, me friend, I am a brave Irishman, and just as long as you want to talk to me you may do so. I’ll sit here the rest of the night, and I won’t have long to wait. It’s nearly morning now. But I would of lost manny a night’s sleep, perhaps, if you had not of told me. Whoever you are—I don’t know.”
“And I am not going to tell you, now.”
“I heard the words: ‘I am not going to tell you, now.’ I must be after getting out of this, for I’m hearing things, I am. I wonder if that strange voice has returned. I thought they—whoever it was, or whatever it was—had gone, never to return, but I do belave they have come back.”
“I think Pat will be around soon, and I will pretend that I have had a restless night, and that I will not go to bed at this late hour,” thought the superintendent. “He will be thinking this over and will not get it off from his mind. I shall be anxious, for I have been worriedvery much in the last few weeks. Yes, here he comes.
“Good morning, Pat.”
“I’m not feeling anny too good, officer.”
“What is wrong, Pat?”
“Well, I’m after telling you at once. I’ve got meself in the penitentiary.”
“Of course; we’re all in here, but not from force.”
“And I never would be here by choice, but I’m deserving of punishment, and I wish you would give it to me unbeknown to annyone of the higher officials, and I would plead guilty.”
“Pat, what is wrong? I never heard you talk so before.”
“And I never did do so before.”
“Have you committed a murder?”
“No, your honor. But I come near liberating a convict. You have not the confidence in me anny more you once had, or never—”
“Well, I am sorry, for I had a friend in you—or, at least, I felt so.”
“And now I’m friendless, a lone Irishman, and I will soon be a convict.”
“You don’t seem to want to tell me what is wrong, and I want to talk with Pearson to-day.The telephone always rings when I am talking.
“Hello! Yes. You want me to bring Pearson to the office and read to him the warrant which I shall receive this morning? In the mail? His day for trial is set? All right, sir; I will obey orders. Good-bye.
“Pat, you may bring Pearson in. I see the mail is here, or soon will be.”
“May I ask of you one favor?”
“Yes. What is it, Pat?”
“If a fellow—scoundrel, I think, is the best name for me—should repent of a crime before it is committed and never was committed, would you or could you forgive him? Could they send one of them things you are looking for when the postman comes in? Could they send one of them after me to—”
“Yes, Pat, if you are self-confessed criminal of some deed you have committed, you surely would receive one of those warrants.”
“Why didn’t I die when I was a babe, instead of me poor mother, and she here in me shoes and I in hers?”
“You must bring Pearson in here. Here is the postman.”
“I will, your honor.
“And now for the dirty work of me poor self to be found out. I could see the wrong in others, and could not see when I was tempted the wrong I was doing, and I, like those here who committed crimes, will have to pay the penalty for it. I do not like to see this man Pearson go to the office this morning, but that is the orders, and I must bring him in. Here I’ve been wandering along and thinking of me own case, so I ’most forgot what I was sent for. This is his cell, and he is fast asleep, but I must awake him and take him to the office at once.
“Say! you! here! wake up! I want to take you for a walk.”
“I am not asleep. I was just resting.”
“Very well; come along. Your presence is wanted.”
“And your presence will be wanted too, some day, if you don’t change your mind before we get to the office.”
“I shall never change my mind, not after I was told as I was and given such good advice from some unseen force.”
“I’ve been thinking how to tell the whole story, and you will regret the day you changed your mind.”
“I may do so. Here we are. The office is waiting for us, so come along.”
“I say, Pat, are you going to change your mind before we enter the office?”
“Well, Pat, what are you debating about? Come along here. Time is flying,” said the superintendent.
To the prisoner he said: “You are under arrest. You have been here accused of obtaining money under false affidavit, and I shall have to say—Pearson, I regret very much to have to read this to you, but I am sworn to do my duty, and I have done so in this case, as I would do in all others. Your trial is set for one week from to-day.
“You may take him back, Pat.”
“Your honor, I have something to say.”
“What have you to say, Pearson?”
“I will ask you if you have ever noticed Pat acting strangely, as if he was in a deep study?”
“I don’t know as I have noticed it. I have had so many things to think of in the last three or four months. I do not really know if I have been noticing Pat very much, as he is one of the guards whom I can trust among all of the prisoners. I think Pat is very reliable—a very reliable man to have here.”
“If I ever get out of this. I will never do anny more dishonest work, or even talk or think about it. I pray me poor mother may help me. Now, you never did annything for me here on earth, mother, come down from Heaven, if you are there, and help me, plase do help me keep me reputation up in this Pearson case, in the eyes of the whole world. I now realize what it means for a boy to make his first mistake. He is ruined for life, and if all of the young men knew what I do now, they would never start to commit anny crime.”
“What are you doing, Pat? Mumbling to yourself? No one can understand those sounds.”
“I understand what he is doing. He has himself just where I will be soon, locked up in this place.”
“Oh, Mr. Pearson! you always had a grievance against Pat. I have never seen any cause for it—none at all, I say.”
“You will have, after I have explained all.”
“You may take him back, Pat. It will soon be time for the Southwest Limited to arrive. Due in a half-hour. Make haste.”
He mused: “Pearson is one of those men who, after he has been caught, wants to catch everyone else, and he will tell all on poor oldPat. I am so sorry for him. His first mistake, and a bad one at that, but I hope Pearson will be enough of a gentleman not to make him suffer for it. His conscience will hurt him enough for his part. I always placed so much confidence in Pat. I am heartily sick of the whole affair. One man can commit a crime and drag others down with him. Here comes Pat. He looks tired and worried.”
“Well, your honor, I am back after a hard time I had getting the officer into his cell.”
“Pat, why should he say what he did? Have you had some trouble with him, that you did not tell me about?”
“Your question shall be answered, but not to-day, not to-day.”
“Here is our new prisoner, the self-confessed murderer, and Clarence Pearson will be released.
“Open the door, Pat.”
“Good morning, sir. I have a prisoner for you.”
“Very well. Please register, here.”
“You will have to, for me. My wrists hurt so I am not able to hold a pen in my hand, to say nothing of writing.”
“Your name is—”
“William Devenart.”
“A very odd name you have, Mr. Devenart.
“Pat, you may take care of him. Give him his bath and shave and new suit, then return to the office with Clarence Pearson.”
“You poor, unfortunate fellow, you come along with me. Tell me all about yourself. I’m a guard here, and will trate you nice if you trate yourself so; but I want to give you a tip: Do not disobey rules. It will be better for you. How long are you sentenced here for?”
“Life.”
“My man! A life sentence, indade! You will eat manny a meal with us, and I am not sure but what I will ate some off the same table.”
“Do the guards and prisoners all eat together?”
“No, not always; but sometimes the guards turns into prisoners.”
“I do not understand you.”
“I do not know what I did mane, to do what I did. Here is the place. Clane yourself up and don the new suit, and very seldom do the styles change—I belave once in ten years, from stripes to checks. You will feel cool after you have been shaved and have a hair-cut. One advantage, you’ll not be needing a comb very soon.”
“Don’t they allow you to comb your hair?”
“Oh, yes; but you don’t have anny to comb.”
“Going to cut my hair off?”
“Sure, Mike—do all of ’em. And won’t I be a peach if I have to get me own hair cut?
“The poor boy don’t look like a criminal. I will be kind to him. I could see tears in his eyes when he was talking. If all of the youngmen could see some of these heart-rending cases, I do feel we would have less crime.”
“What! A lady coming here? I do believe it is.”
“Mrs. Pearson, come in,” said the superintendent. “How do you do, Mrs. Pearson?”
“Good morning. I should like to see Mr. Pearson.”
“Your husband?”
“No, sir; I have disowned him, but I want to talk with him. I have some papers I want him to sign. I also have an order from Mr. McHenry allowing me to see him, as your rules could not be broken to accommodate anyone.”
“No, madam, I could not break the rules, but with this order I can let you see him. I’ll ring for a guard to bring him.”
“I am to have a private conversation with him.”
“I can not allow that, madam. You must say what you have to say in my presence, in this office.”
“You are one of the most accommodating men, I must say, that I ever saw.”
“I am sorry, very. I have heard you express your opinion of me, but I am here to do my duty, and will at all events. Here comesthe guard. I will have your husband brought in at once.
“Bring the prisoner from cell 77.”
“Oh dear! You have him locked up, and call for him by his number, do you? And he has not had a trial, nor has he been convicted of any crime.”
“We have a warrant for his arrest. His trial will be this week. I hope that he will be able to prove his innocence. I am very sorry for him. I have grieved over the matter considerably.”
“Well, I have not grieved at all. I am going to disown him after I get his signature. Then I shall have all the property in my own name, and I shall try to forget that I ever had a husband—a criminal. My daughter Amelia will be married one week from to-day, and we can not be disgraced by coming here after the marriage takes place, and that is why I am here to-day. Is that he coming?”
“No; I have a prisoner who is to receive his freedom, and that is Pat, bringing him in. By the way, that is your brother-in-law.”
“How dare you insult me in that way? I acknowledge a criminal as a relative? No, never!”
“Well, here is your ‘fellow,’ No. 78. I can’t say ‘prisoner’ anny longer. He gets his freedom to-day, and me old shoes will have to go with him, for I don’t think I can get them to track anny other direction after the prisoner 78 is gone out. Have you sent for the officer convict? Here he comes.”
“Yes, Pat. Don’t you see Mrs. Pearson sitting there?”
“I beg your pardon, madam. I very seldom see a lady.”
“All brutes of men are alike.”
“Pearson, you may come in. Your wife is here to see you, and you may be seated over there. I will look after your brother, here. He gets his freedom to-day. The real murderer is in his new suit, and will be given his occupation in the morning.”
“Did I hear that I am a free man?”
“You are, Clarence. Here are the papers.”
“And my brother? Oh! what will you do with him? Turn him loose?”
“No; not until we hear from the court. He will have his trial this week, and I hope we will then be able to turn him loose.”
Mrs. Pearson addressed her husband as he approached her: “I want you to sign over allof your part and interest in this home we, your daughters and I, occupy. I will not live under a roof owned by a criminal, and you shall be disowned at once. I have already made application—before my daughter is married, I shall have all ties broken with you.”
“I am not going to sign over any of the property. It is not mine at all. It belongs to my brother here. I spent and lost all of my estate, and that is why I am here to-day. I swore that he was dead and in that way got his share, and what we now have is his. He is alive and free, and he is innocent, and here am I, a criminal and guilty, and bound down here for no one knows how long.”
“Oh, dear brother! is this your wife? And she spoke of your daughters. You have not told me anything about them. I can not see you separated from them all for the loss of my money. What would I do with it, now, to know that I would cause so much misery to obtain it. I could not be happy. Oh, if I could only step in your shoes and you in mine! I would gladly do so. And you, my dear sister-in-law, how sorry I am to know that this has happened!”
“If you had never committed a murder—you,I say—feigning mercy for your brother, we would not have to suffer.”
“I am not a murderer. Here are my papers of freedom, and the real murderer is here in my place—self-confessed, and he will be punished for the crime. If my dear brother could only be found as innocent as I am, you would have your beautiful home always. As it is, I shall claim what is due me, and what was left me by the will of my dear mother.”
“You may have a hard time to get it.”
“I am willing to turn all over to my brother. He is entitled to it, and it belongs to him,” said the husband.
“Get some water, Pat. Mrs. Pearson has fainted.”
As she revived Mrs. Pearson asked that a carriage be called.
The superintendent replied: “You may step into this room. I will call one.
“Mr. Pearson, you may return to your cell. Pat, take him back to 77.”
“Oh, brother! what can I do for you?”
“Pray for me. You got me here. Except for you, I would be a free man.”
“Clarence, you may sign here. Here are the papers of freedom. I want to shake handswith you. I hope that you will never again be placed in such a position,” said the superintendent.
“I thank you, sir. I am under obligations to you for many favors, and I hope that you will always be as just to all the other prisoners as you have been to me.”
“I shall try to be. Good-bye.”
“Good-bye, sir.”
“Your carriage is here, Mrs. Pearson.”
“Good-bye, officer.”
“Good-bye, madam.”
“Drive to 1715 North Twenty-third Street,” said Mrs. Pearson.