Part 7 (1/2)
”Certainly!” said Ambrose.
”Certainly!” repeated Naomi.
”Do you believe the report that he was seen traveling on the railway to New York?”
”I believe it firmly, sir; and, what is more, I believe I was on his track. I was only too anxious to find him; and I say I could have found him if they would have let me stay in New York.”
I looked at Naomi.
”I believe it too,” she said. ”John Jago is keeping away.”
”Do you suppose he is afraid of Ambrose and Silas?”
She hesitated.
”He _may_ be afraid of them,” she replied, with a strong emphasis on the word ”may.”
”But you don't think it likely?”
She hesitated again. I pressed her again.
”Do you think there is any other motive for his absence?”
Her eyes dropped to the floor. She answered obstinately, almost doggedly,
”I can't say.”
I addressed myself to Ambrose.
”Have you anything more to tell us?” I asked.
”No,” he said. ”I have told you all I know about it.”
I rose to speak to the lawyer whose services I had retained. He had helped us to get the order of admission, and he had accompanied us to the prison. Seated apart he had kept silence throughout, attentively watching the effect of Ambrose Meadowcroft's narrative on the officers of the prison and on me.
”Is this the defense?” I inquired, in a whisper.
”This is the defense, Mr. Lefrank. What do you think, between ourselves?”
”Between ourselves, I think the magistrate will commit them for trial.”
”On the charge of murder?”
”Yes, on the charge of murder.”
CHAPTER VIII.
THE CONFESSION.
MY replies to the lawyer accurately expressed the conviction in my mind. The narrative related by Ambrose had all the appearance, in my eyes, of a fabricated story, got up, and clumsily got up, to pervert the plain meaning of the circ.u.mstantial evidence produced by the prosecution. I reached this conclusion reluctantly and regretfully, for Naomi's sake. I said all I could say to shake the absolute confidence which she felt in the discharge of the prisoners at the next examination.