fy to?" asked Chester.

"I don't think we'd better stop now to discuss that," Will answered.

"I'm sure it can't be anything dishonorable."

"It's nothing dishonorable," Will assured the boy. "We believe that your
father's testimony will save the life of a young man accused of murder.
That's all I can tell you now."

"You refer to the Fremont case?" asked Chester.

"Exactly!" answered Will. "To the Fremont suicide case."

"The police call it the Fremont murder case!"

"So you have been reading about that, too, have you?" asked Will.

"I read about it in the newspapers on the day following what took place
at the bank," Chester answered, "and I couldn't help a feeling of
contempt for the police when I understood how wrong they were."

"So you know about that, too?"

"I know all about it!" replied Chester.

Will could have hugged the boy. He had long been wondering whether the
testimony of Mr. Wagner would be accepted in court after the wound which
had rendered him mentally incompetent had been discussed by physicians.
He knew that in many cases men so injured never fully recovered.

It seemed almost like a miracle that the escaped convict's son should
know something of the matter, too. The boy knew that even if Mr. Wagner
fully recovered from his injury the police would object to his testimony
on the ground of previous insanity. If the boy could corroborate the
statements made by his father, that would prove sufficient.

Will was about to ask the lad further questions when the escaped convict
opened his eyes and looked about.

His gaze sought the searchlight first, and then rested on the face of
his son. Chester drew nearer and bent over him.

"Did I have a fall?" the man asked weakly.

He put his thin hand to his head as he spoke and drew it away covered
with blood.

"Why this seems to be a fresh wound," Chester exclaimed, anxiously.

"Yes," replied the father, "I remember of hearing the sound of guns, and
sensing the odor of powder smoke, and started to run down the passage
and fell. I remember a shooting pain in my head and that's about all
until I heard your voices and saw the light."

"Do you know where you are?" asked Will.

The escaped convict looked inquiringly at his son.

"Who is this boy?" he asked.

"A friend who has come to establish your innocence," was the reply.

"That is impossible," replied Wagner. "Every police official in Chicago
is convinced of my guilt. They jobbed me to pr