He admitted Morton and locked him in with me, then left us alone. Morton was clean and well-dressed, with only a nervousness of speech and movement to indicate that a few hours before he had fought for liberty and honor with the man he was now facing. He took a seat at the end of my plank, while I sat at the other end, and took his measure; thinner and older, of course, than when I had known him at school, but with the same graceful figure, and handsome, though unpleasant, face. "Well," I said, with what sarcasm I could command. "Are you here to get me to tell who hired me to set fire to your house?" "Not exactly," he answered, eying me closely. "I'm here to find out what you mean to do." "I'm waiting on you," I said sharply. "I've kept quiet on your sister's account, but I expect you to clear up this matter, in any way you can." "How? By pleading guilty myself? I am also interested in my sister, and I do not think she would like it." I looked at him. "It lies between you and me," he went on. "The evidence at present is all against you, while there is nothing against me, and nothing in my record to indicate that I would set fire to the house I had lived in, but did not own." "But if your record was known," I growled, "there would be indications bearing upon this." "I see. You have listened to my sister. Do you think she would come into court and swear away the liberty of her brother?" A chill passed through me at this, but I answered doggedly: "Don't know. It depends, I suppose, upon how much she thinks of her precious brother." "And also," he said softly, "upon how much _you_ think of _her_. She took you--in my behalf, of course, though that might not be proved--into her home at midnight when I was supposed to be in Philadelphia. Do you care to have her cross-examined upon that point, first by the prosecuting attorney who will try you, and then by my lawyer in case I am tried?" "Damn your wretched heart and soul!" I yelled. "Would you shield yourself behind your sister's good name? Would you permit it, even to save your miserable life?" "Not so loud, please. I answer that question in kind. Would you?" "No!" I thundered. "A thousand times no!" "Then plead guilty. My sister, who is a very resourceful and self-possessed girl, turned in the fire alarm as the quickest way to end our little difficulty, and she is in New York this morning, believing that you and I walked out. But it was I who notified the policeman of my discovering a firebug at work in my deserted home. You have given a wrong name, and she will not be interested in the little noise your trial will make--unless, I suppose, you arouse that interest." He got up to call the warden, and I was upon him as the words left his lips. But I did not harm him much; I had not the time. I dropped him at the muzzle of the warden's pistol, and cooled down at my leisure.