I called you up this morning to tell you about the lawyer coming to the
association rooms to see me. This afternoon I went down to his office
as you told me I should. The fellow said he was one of the lawyers
hired by Mrs. Mansfield to defend her, and she had given him my name to
see if I would make a witness on her side at the trial. Then he put me
through a cross-examination that lasted a couple of hours. I was kind
of flustered by it, because I didn't know how you would have wanted me
to answer his questions. But you told me if I didn't know what to say
to tell the truth. So I did. The only time I lied was when he asked
me how I got out of the house that night. I said when I got out on the
roof I saw the officers coming, and hid behind a chimney till they
passed. It seems I didn't know enough about the gang one way or
another to make any difference. The lawyer told me to keep my mouth
shut if I wanted to stay out of trouble, gave me a couple of dollars
and sent me home. I hope I handled this matter right.
Yours respectfully,
R. A.
The lawyer Blondy referred to was a junior partner in one of the
best-known firms engaged in criminal cases. It had been announced that
this firm had been retained by Lorina. Since the lawyer had approached
the boy openly there could be no doubt but that he himself was acting
in good faith. I could not but feel though that there was something
behind this visit, because, of course, Lorina knew that Blondy could
tell next to nothing about her affairs, and that little not to her
credit.
I finally decided that she must have used the young lawyer as a kind of
cat's-paw to discover Blondy's situation and present disposition
towards herself. If I was right there would no doubt be developments
presently. I awaited the event in no little anxiety.
Sure enough, three days later Blondy called me up to tell me he had
just received a long letter from Lorina that I ought to read at once.
I arranged to meet him in an hour at the office of the doctor who had
first brought us together. He was instructed to make sure that he was
not followed there.
Lorina's letter enclosed a second letter. The enclosure was not
sealed. The friendly tone of the first so different from Lorina's
attitude towards him out of jail, excited the boy's derision. It read: