n't realize
... you know I'd like to help, if it's anything I can do."

"It is nothing to do with any of us," said Amy, seating herself for a
moment, and letting her hands fall in her lap. "It's just some news that
made me feel sorry. Ware came up with the mail a little while ago, and
he tells us that George Pollock has suddenly reappeared and is living
down at his own place."

"They've arrested him!" cried Bob.

"Not yet; but they will. The sheriff has been notified. Of course, his
friends warned him in time; but he won't go. Says he intends to stay."

"Then he'll go to jail."

"And to prison. What chance has a poor fellow like that without money or
influence? All he has is his denial."

"Then he denies?" asked Bob eagerly.

"Says he knows nothing about Plant's killing. His wife died that same
morning, and he went away because he could not stand it. That's his
story; but the evidence is strong against him, poor fellow."

"Do you believe him?" asked Bob.

Amy swung her foot, pondering.

"No," she said at last. "I believe he killed Plant; and I believe he did
right! Plant killed his wife and child, and took away all his property.
That's what it amounted to."

"There are hardships worked in any administration," Bob pointed out.

Amy looked at him slowly.

"You don't believe that in this case," she pronounced at last.

"Then Pollock will perjure himself," suggested Bob, to try her.

"And if he has friends worth the name, they'll perjure themselves, too!"
cried Amy boldly. "They'll establish an alibi, they'll invent a murderer
for Plant, they'll do anything for a man as persecuted and hunted as
poor George Pollock!"

"Heavens!" returned Bob, genuinely aghast at this wholesale programme.
"What would become of morals and honour and law and all the rest of it,
if that sort of thing obtained?"

"Law?" Amy caught him up. "Law? It's become foolish. No man lives
capable of mastering it so completely that another man cannot find flaws
in his best efforts. Reuf and Schmitz are guilty--everybody says so,
even themselves. Why aren't they in jail? Because of the law. Don't talk
to me of law!"

"But how about ordinary mortals? You can't surely permit a man to lie in
a court of justice just because he thinks his friend's cause is just!"

"I don't know anything about it," sighed Amy, as though weary all at
once, "except that it isn't right. The law should be a great and wise
judge, humane and sympathetic. George Po