"
Both men laughed, skeptically. "We'll just save you the
trouble," said one of them. "We'll take you over. You might
lose your way if you tried to go alone."
Billy went along in silence the rest of the way to where the
patrol waited at another corner. He saw there was nothing to
be gained by talking to these detectives; but he found the
lieutenant equally inclined to doubt his intentions. He, too,
only laughed when Billy assured him that he was on his way
to the station at the very instant of arrest.
As the weeks dragged along, and Billy Byrne found no
friendly interest in himself or his desire to live on the square,
and no belief in his protestations that he had had naught to
do with the killing of Schneider he began to have his doubts
as to the wisdom of his act.
He also commenced to entertain some of his former opinions
of the police, and of the law of which they are supposed
to be the guardians. A cell-mate told him that the papers had
scored the department heavily for their failure to apprehend
the murderer of the inoffensive old Schneider, and that public
opinion had been so aroused that a general police shakeup
had followed.
The result was that the police were keen to fasten the guilt
upon someone--they did not care whom, so long as it was
someone who was in their custody.
Pages:
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282