“Dave's all right,” returned Big Kennedy. Then coming around to me: “Now let's get down to business. You understand how the charge is murder, an' that no bail goes. But keep a stiff upper lip. The Chief is out to put a crimp in you, but we'll beat him just th' same. For every witness he brings, we'll bring two. Do you know who it was croaked th' Blacksmith?” I told him of the Sicilian; and how I had recognized the knife as I drew it from the throat of the dead man. “It's a cinch he threw it,” said Big Kennedy; “he was in the crowd an' saw you mixin' it up with th' Blacksmith, an' let him have it. Them Dagoes are great knife throwers. Did you get a flash of him in the crowd?” “No,” I said, “there was no sign of him. I haven't told this story to anybody. We ought to give him time to take care of himself.” “Right you are,” said Big Kennedy approvingly. “He probably jumped aboard his boat; it's even money he's outside the Hook, out'ard bound, by now.” Then Big Kennedy discussed the case. I would be indicted and tried; there was no doubt of that. The Chief, our enemy, had possession of the court machinery; so far as indictment and trial were concerned he would not fail of his will. “An' it's th' judge in partic'lar, I'm leary of,” said Big Kennedy thoughtfully. “The Chief has got that jurist in hock to him, d'ye see! But there's another end to it; I've got a pull with the party who selects the jury, an' it'll be funny if we don't have half of 'em our way. That's right; th' worst they can hand us is a hung jury. If it takes money, now,” and here Big Kennedy rolled a tentative eye on young Morton, “if it should take money, I s'ppose we know where to look for it?” Young Morton had been listening to every word, and for the moment, nothing about him of his usual languor. Beyond tapping his white teeth with the handle of his dress cane, he retained no trace of those affectations. I had much hope from the alert earnestness of young Morton, for I could tell that he would stay by my fortunes to the end. “What was that?” he asked, when Big Kennedy spoke of money. “I said that if we have to buy any little thing like a juror or a witness, we know where to go for the money.” “Certainly!” he lisped, relapsing into the exquisite; “we shall buy the courthouse should the purchase of that edifice become necessary to our friend's security.”