“Yes, and after the bars is closed, it is hard to get away, isn’t it? I was thinking what a ⸺ of a time a man would have to get out of town if he could get from behind the bars.” “Some prisoners have got away and were never found, and again, some were caught in the act of getting away.” “And the results, if caught?” “Pat, are you thinking of helping someone away? I never before heard you talk this way.” “I am thinking of the past, if a fellow lost his job, and of the future, if he found another one better.” “Are you thinking of leaving here, Pat?” “Not if annyone would know it, I’m not leaving here.” “You know, Pat, I have always esteemed you very highly, and I should be very much disappointed if I had to lose confidence in you.” “You would be glad to place confidence in me, wouldn’t you?” “I surely would place all the confidence in the world in you, and would trust you with all of the prisoners and feel as safe as if I were here myself.” “I would take care of them one at a time—no other way.” “I know you would, Pat. I feel confident you would now, after this talk with you.” “I’m glad you feel that way. I may never hurt your feelings more than once.” “We can always forgive once, Pat, and sometimes twice, but you know the old adage, ‘The third time is the charm.’” “They would be only two and the third time would not be here.” CHAPTER XIX. A CLEAR CONSCIENCE BETTER THAN MONEY “I do not understand, Pat, what made Pearson confess so meekly. He could at least have pleaded innocent until his trial. You know sometimes things look dark, and then a criminal can get out of it.” “Perhaps he thinks he can get out of here.” “Well, we will not have his trial here and now, without judge or jury; so, Pat, you may go and see if all is right among your fellow-men.” “I wonder if he understood what I meant to tell him all the time—what I was going to do—when he said he could forgive once and twice, and the old adage. I just as good as told him it would be twice, two of us, and the third time not here, and that was the daughter; she is not here to help get away, so there is the whole thing in a nut-shell. And the blockhead did not get it.” “I think Pat thinks he will make his get-away with his prisoner, and be a gentleman. I’m sorry for Pat. Now I have a problem to solve within myself. Shall I let him go ahead and make his plans, or shall I stop him before he gets started, and save the poor Irishman from occupying cell No. 76? I believe I can gain some knowledge by being deaf to it all. He is surely a clever Irishman, and I will see what plans he will make to escape with his prisoner, and I may be gaining knowledge, but I could not do so by sitting on Pat’s seat of knowledge, so I think I will not leave this office.” “I hope that I shall receive a reply in regard to the real murderer, and that he will be brought here. That will help to open the way to a clear discovery of all this plot.