“_Turn in your alarm. I am ready to fight for my innocent son’s freedom, and you too know that he is not a murderer, yet you sit there and allow him to suffer, and for another’s crime. Here is the murdered woman standing here declaring his innocence—and the real murderer is her husband, and you have not made an effort to find him. Go look for him. Place my innocent boy in a closed room, if you like, but never behind bars. I will free him, as I have done all the time here, if you dare to place him behind bars again!_” “You will fall, Pat. Sit down. Here, steady, now. Give me some water quick. Have some water, Pat. He looks so queer. Oh! you feel all right, Pat?” “I am not ailing. Why do you ask me if I feel all right? The only thing I see, I was standing up a while ago, and now I am sitting down.” “Yes, Pat; you were acting very funny, and insisted on taking Officer Pearson to jail, instead of No. 78.” “Faith, I think he will be there soon enough.” “I don’t understand you. I am going to make you suffer for that talk. I shall not allow myself to be called a thief by my inferiors. I shall have a settlement with you, sir. Either you or I will leave here, and I think that you will be the one to go.” “Don’t be too sure of that. You may be wearing stripes around here yourself, and I, the common Irishman, telling you what to do and throwing the bread and water at you.” “Hey, Pat! What do you mean? Why are you doing all this talking? Are you accountable for what you are saying? I shall have to stop this talk at once. We are not in the habit of allowing our employees to talk in that manner.” “I think that Pat has served his time here. He is beginning to think that he is the boss.” “Well, I’d like to say the same thing about you in regard to serving time, but I don’t think you have started in on your time yet, and when your brother who is sitting here tells all he knows, you will be wearing his clothes and he will be wearing something better, for some of that money belonging to him which you have will enable him to do unto you as you should do unto him—and that is, help when in trouble.” “Pat, I am speaking to you for the last time, and I shall have to discharge you if you do not quiet yourself.” “_You will not discharge him._” “Well, did you decide what to do? Shall I take 78 back?” “Pat, you talk and look and act quite differently now. What was wrong? Do tell.” “I am just the same Irishman. Do you think I have changed in looks? I hope not, for who ever saw a homely Irishman?” “You did change in looks, but look all right now. Put the prisoner in the other office—No. 2. I may need him soon. Then you may go.” “Well, Mr. Pearson, what does all this mean? I don’t understand. But I shall not cease the investigation until I find out what is wrong.” “You are paying too much attention to what Pat has been saying.”