Part 35 (1/2)
The man turned to go; he durst not trust himself to speak in Jem's justification. But she would not let him off.
She stood between him and the door, as she said--
”Yo shall not go till yo've told me what he's after. I can see plain enough you know, and I'll know too, before I've done.”
”You'll know soon enough, missis!”
”I'll know now, I tell ye. What's up that he can't come home and help me nurse? Me, as never got a wink o' sleep last night wi'
watching.”
”Well, if you will have it out,” said the poor badgered man, ”the police have got hold on him.”
”On my Jem!” said the enraged mother. ”You're a downright liar, and that's what you are. My Jem, as never did harm to any one in his life. You're a liar, that's what you are.”
”He's done harm enough now,” said the man, angry in his turn, ”for there's good evidence he murdered young Carson, as was shot last night.”
She staggered forward to strike the man for telling the terrible truth; but the weakness of old age, of motherly agony, overcame her, and she sank down on a chair, and covered her face. He could not leave her.
When next she spoke, it was in an imploring, feeble, child-like voice.
”O master, say you're only joking. I ax your pardon if I have vexed ye, but please say you're only joking. You don't know what Jem is to me.”
She looked humbly, anxiously up to him.
”I wish I were only joking, missis; but it's true as I say. They've taken him up on charge of murder. It were his gun as were found near th' place; and one o' the police heard him quarrelling with Mr.
Carson a few days back, about a girl.”
”About a girl!” broke in the mother, once more indignant, though too feeble to show it as before. ”My Jem was as steady as”--she hesitated for a comparison wherewith to finish, and then repeated, ”as steady as Lucifer, and he were an angel, you know. My Jem was not one to quarrel about a girl.”
”Ay, but it was that, though. They'd got her name quite pat. The man had heard all they said. Mary Barton was her name, whoever she may be.”
”Mary Barton! the dirty hussy! to bring my Jem into trouble of this kind. I'll give it her well when I see her: that I will. Oh! my poor Jem!” rocking herself to and fro. ”And what about the gun?
What did ye say about that?”
”His gun were found on th' spot where the murder were done.”
”That's a lie for one, then. A man has got the gun now, safe and sound. I saw it not an hour ago.”
The man shook his head.
”Yes, he has indeed. A friend o' Jem's, as he'd lent it to.”
”Did you know the chap?” asked the man, who was really anxious for Jem's exculpation, and caught a gleam of hope from her last speech.
”No! I can't say as I did. But he were put on as a workman.”
”It's maybe only one of them policemen, disguised.”
”Nay; they'd never go for to do that, and trick me into telling on my own son. It would be like seething a kid in its mother's milk; and that th' Bible forbids.”