Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West
"
"Never mind," said Patsy resignedly. "Perhaps we shall find him a better
judge than you are lawyer."
"He has had more experience, anyhow," said Colby, much amused at the
shot.
They found, on arriving at court, that the case had already been
postponed. They drove to the jail and obtained permission to see the
prisoner, who was incarcerated under the name of "Jack Andrews, alias A.
Jones." Maud would have liked a private audience, but the lawyer was
present as well as Patsy and Mr. Merrick, and she did not like to ask
them to go away.
The boy greeted them with his old frank smile and did not seem in the
least oppressed by the fact that he was a prisoner accused of an ugly
crime. The interview was held in a parlor of the jail, a guard standing
by the door but discreetly keeping out of earshot.
Colby first informed the boy of the postponement of his formal
examination and then submitted to his client an outline of the defense he
had planned. Jones listened quietly and shook his head.
"Is that the best you can do for me?"
"With my present knowledge, yes," returned the lawyer.
"And will it clear me from this suspicion?" was the next question.
"I hope so."
"You are not sure?"
"This is an extraordinary case, Mr. Jones. Your friends all believe you
innocent, but the judge wants facts--cold, hard facts--and only these
will influence him. Mr. Le Drieux, commissioned by the Austrian
government, states that you are Jack Andrews, and have escaped to America
after having stolen the pearls of a noble Viennese lady. He will offer,
as evidence to prove his assertion, the photograph and the pearls. You
must refute this charge with counter-evidence, in order to escape
extradition and a journey to the country where the crime was committed.
There you will be granted a regular trial, to be sure, but even if you
then secure an acquittal you will have suffered many indignities and your
good name will be permanently tarnished."
"Well, sir?"
"I shall work unceasingly to secure your release at the examination.
- Page:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- 110
- 111
- 112
- 113
- 114
- 115
- 116
- 117
- 118
- 119
- 120
- 121
- 122
- 123
- 124
- 125
- 126
- 127
- 128
- 129
- 130
- 131
- 132
- 133
- 134
- 135
- 136
- 137
- 138
- 139
- 140
- 141
There was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest of all beasts and men. This king had a son named Ekpenyon, to whom he gave fifty young girls as wives, but the prince did not like any of them. The king was very angry at this, and made a law that if any man had a daughter who was finer than the prince's wives, and who found favour in his son's eyes, the girl herself and her father and mother should be killed.
© 2013-2019 FairyTales
Almost all texts on this website are from the Public Domain.