“I have been a wanderer, and have eaten many a back-door hand-out, but I have never stolen nor murdered. I did not commit this crime. You, my brother, are free, and have money to bribe me with, and yet you do not care enough for your own flesh and blood to look up the real murderer. I do not want your money. I have two strong arms, and can work, as I have always done.”

“Then you would work all your life, a poor man, rather than accept a little bribe, would you?”

“Yes, under the circumstances, I would. I feel that in the end I will be better prepared to meet my dear mother, when called home, than you will be. Did I not have something coming to me from the estate? My mother was a wealthy woman when I left home.”

“Well, we had many reverses in business affairs, and she died practically a poor woman.”

“I may be spared to live my sentence here if I am not found innocent and discharged, and[130] then I shall return to the old home and investigate affairs and see if I am not entitled to a share in my dear mother’s estate.”

“Why can you not believe me? I have explained. She died practically a poor woman.”

“You are not a poor man, are you, brother?”

“Well, I have a comfortable home.”

“Is that all you have?”

“I do not feel disposed to explain everything to you.”

“Where were you to get the five thousand dollars to bribe me with? Have you got that much money besides your comfortable home?”

“I shall have ten years to get that.”

“Oh! you are buying me to commit a crime and have no money to give me after I have done so?”

“As I have stated, you are here for ten years. At the time of the expiration of your term I would in all probability have that amount.”

“May I ask you why you wish me to deny my name?”

“Well, Clarence, I am holding a good position here, and I could not, perhaps, if it were known that I had a brother inside of these walls. Besides, I have a family in society, and it would injure them if this should all come out.”

[131]

“You are thinking of yourself and your family and society, and not once have you given your poor brother a thought of sympathy. And he is innocent of crime.”

“I am trying to help you. Have I not offered you five thousand dollars at the end of your term?”

“You are not helping me. No, sir. I have registered under my own name, given me by my dear parents, and I have no cause to disown it. I did nothing to disgrace it, and I am not going to be tempted with your money.”

“I am sure that you will regret this, Clarence. I would favor you in many ways while you were serving your sentence.”

“Could you not do so, as you are one of the officials, without my doing as you wish me to do?”

“Well, no. I should be suspected.”

“Then how could you do so if I did as you request me to do—disown my name?”

“Well, well!”

“You are doing wrong, Oliver, to try to get me in deeper instead of helping me out. Why don’t you go out and look up the real murderer and prove your brother innocent? I am quite[132] sure I should not disgrace you if it were proved that I had been sent here an innocent man.”

“You see, after one has been behind prison bars, he is always looked down upon by the public.”

“But not in the eyes of God. He knows the guilty from the innocent.”

“Then you feel that you would rather stay in prison and work ten years, and go out a broken man and penniless, than to receive five thousand dollars, as I have promised you?”

“If I have to lie for it, I’ll take the poverty and peace of mind.”

“I am sorry for you, Clarence, and I shall return and have another talk with you some day. Perhaps you will change your mind. Good-bye.”

“I thank you, brother, for the word spoken just now. Yes, my brother, you have a comfortable home and a family in society, and an innocent brother in prison for ten years.”

“You have the habit of talking to yourself, have you?” It was Pat who spoke.

“It helps a fellow, Pat, sometimes, when alone, to talk to himself.”

“I am sure I heard two voices in here. I was after looking for a convict who occupied[133] the next cell, 79, and I felt rather uneasy about you, and I thought I would see what you were doing, and I heard a very strange conversation in here.”

“Pat, did you hear all that was said?”

“Sure I did. What was I listening for if not to hear what was said?”

“And did you see anyone leave here?”

“Sure I did. When I see a man passing this way, I looked to find if he was a broke-away.”

“And will you—”

“I will keep my mouth shut until I have to open it.”

“And would you tell all you heard?”

“Indade I would. Well, I think I will be going along. I will stroll by the office and see if he looks any the better off since he could not get rid of his five thousand dollars.”

“Pat, you always come just in time. Take this letter to the office. I want it to go out on the first mail. If I wait for it to be taken up, it would not get off on the first mail. Make haste, as I am quite anxious for this to go.”

“You can depend on it going if I have to take the train and carry it myself.”

To himself: “Well, I wonder what the rush[134] was. I will pick up the torn pieces when I get the chance, and see what this means.”

“Mr. Pearson,” said the superintendent, “I am called to attend to some business affairs. I shall leave you in charge of the office. I may not return until late.”

“Very well, sir.”

“Well, I just made the train. The next time I would like a few minutes to think between this place and the train. I never went so fast in all my life. I would be a good messenger. I could get the bad news to them in a hurry, as all of the confounded things have bad news in them.

“There comes Pat. I will give him the order I left with Pearson.

“Pat, I am going on some business, and I want you to put all of those torn pieces of paper in the fire and burn them up. I do not want anyone to see them. I made some errors and re-wrote the letter,” said the superintendent.

“Now you have gone,” said Pearson, “I will take care of those torn pieces of paper. Here is an envelope addressed to the place where Clarence committed the murder, and here is all of ............