“So your sympathies got such a hold over you that you use the expression ‘poor fellow,’ do you? My opinion is that the letter was a hoax to get sympathy for him while here. It was probably written by some friend of the man’s on the outside.” A voice said: “_You are accusing my son wrongfully, and you must suffer for it._” “My God! Did you hear that?” “Did I hear that? Yes, and I have heard that and more so many times that I have become quite familiar with the voice and do not feel alarmed at hearing it. Tell me what it was—_you!_” “_You, you_, tell me what you think it was, and I will tell you something, then.” “Well, sir, I am not going to try to express myself, for I can not do so, but I will go back to my part of the work.” “You will remain here with me and express yourself as to what your belief is in regard to the mysterious voice we hear.” “Come, quick!” It was Pat’s voice. “Come quick! The fellow is talking himself to death. I have bate him for half an hour and he is still talking, and devil a bit does he care for my bating.” “I will leave you and go with Pat.” “You will have to do something quick. He has disturbed the whole prison and the bating I gave him helped to excite the other prisoners’ curiosity to know what the man was being baten for.” “Right this way, I think, is the nearest, Pat. Avoid excitement as much as possible.” “You will see the poor devil throwing his hands and telling that he is not the murderer. And he is mumbling something about not going to be punished for a crime he never committed.” “You in trouble again? Not satisfied without disturbing the prisoners as well as the officials?” “I beg your pardon, sir, I have been doing all I could do, and working, sir, since you placed me here. I felt a dizziness come over me. I don’t know how long I stood before I regained myself.” “Do you feel as if you had had a good beating?” “I? No, sir, I do not.” “Then the devil take the man I will ever punish again,” said Pat; “I’ve been working myself out of breath bating him and then he stands up there and tells that he didn’t know he got a bating.” “You feel as if you could do the work, do you?” “I will try, sir. It is awful hard and I feel I haven’t strength to last the day through, but I will go as long as I can.” “Now, Pat, we will return to the office, and I want you to tell Mr. Pearson the trouble you had with this fellow, and while you are telling him, and telling how quietly he was working, you as well as I will watch Mr. Pearson’s face and see how much sympathy, if any, goes out to the prisoner.” “Indade, your honor, I have noticed the sympathy shown to the prisoner by Mr. Pearson, while you were away. He even offered to exchange coat and hat with the man, and job too.”