Part 81 (2/2)
”There are only two courses that I can see,” answered Bob, after reflection, ”outside the one you're following now. You can give yourself up to the authorities and plead guilty. There's a chance that mitigating circ.u.mstances will influence the judge to give you a light sentence; and there's always a possibility of a pardon. When all the details are made known there ought to be a good show for getting off easy.”
”What's the other?” demanded Pollock, who had listened with the closest attention.
”The other is simply to go back home.”
”They'd arrest me.”
”Let them,” said Bob. ”Plead not guilty, and take your chances on the trial. Their evidence is circ.u.mstantial; you don't have to incriminate yourself; I doubt if a jury would agree on convicting you. Have you ever talked with anybody about--about that morning?”
”About me killing Plant?” supplied Pollock tranquilly. ”No. A man don't ask about those things.”
”Not even to Jim?”
”No. We just sort of took all that for granted.”
”Well, that would be all right. Then if they're called on the stand, they can tell nothing. There are at least no witnesses to the deed itself.”
”There's you----” suggested George.
Bob brought up short in his train of reasoning.
”But you won't testify agin me?”
”There's no reason why I should be called. n.o.body even knows I was out of bed at that time. If my name happens to be mentioned--which isn't at all likely--Auntie Belle or a dozen others will volunteer that I was in bed, like the rest of the town. There's no earthly reason to connect me with it.”
”But if you are called?” persisted the mountaineer.
”Then I'll have to tell the truth, of course,” said Bob soberly; ”it'll be under oath, you know.”
Pollock looked at him strangely askant.
”I didn't much look to hear you talk that-a-way,” said he.
”George,” said Bob, ”this will take money. Have you any?”
”I've some,” replied the mountaineer sulkily.
”How much?”
”A hundred dollars or so.”
”Not enough by a long patch. You must let me help you on this.”
”I don't need no help,” said Pollock.
”You let me help you once before,” Bob reminded him gently, ”if it was only to hold a horse.”
”By G.o.d, that's right!” burst out George Pollock, ”and I'm a fool! If they call you on the stand, don't you lie under oath for me! I don't believe you'd do it for yourself; and that's what I'm going to do for myself. I reckon I'll just plead guilty!”
<script>