Not a friendly face
or form was in sight, however, and he trudged on, wondering
what line of questions would be most likely to throw the big
fellow off his guard.
"Why don't you take my advice and confess?" Big Bob asked, presently.
"I might do so," Fremont replied, provokingly, "but for one thing."
"And what is that?" was asked eagerly.
"I want to see the guilty man punished!"
"If you confess," the other went on, angrily, "you'll get a light
sentence if Cameron lives, and a life sentence instead of the
electric chair if he dies. There is always hope in a life
sentence--and you are young!"
"Why do you ask me to confess?" demanded Fremont.
"Well, to tell you the truth," was the reply, "I have a friend
who may be accused of the crime. He can't be convicted, of course,
for the proof goes to show you to be the guilty one, but the cops
can make him a lot of trouble and expense!"
"So you want me to confess and skip the country?"
"Yes, to skip out of the country, just as you skipped out of New York."
"And permit this friend of yours, who committed the crime, to go free?"
"My friend did not commit the crime!" threateningly.
"Oh, yes he did! Who is your friend--yourself?"
Big Bob lifted a hand as if to strike the boy, but he changed his
mind, or got control of his temper, and lowered it again.
"At least," Fremont said, "you know who did commit the crime.
That is something."
The big fellow grumbled out some sarcastic reply and trudged ahead.
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