"You will pardon me, sir," he added, leaning a little forward. "As a
stranger in this country, I am much inter-rested in your processes of
law. This morning I was present at the trial--I per-rceived you there.
It seemed to me that the young lady was in--what you call--a tight
place."
He spoke English very well, with an accent of the slightest. I glanced
at him again, and saw that his eyes were very bright and that they
were fixed upon me intently.
"It does seem so," I admitted, loth to talk, yet not wishing to be
discourteous.
"The ver' thing I said to myself!" he continued eagerly. "The--what
you call--coe-encidence of the dress, now!"
I did not answer; I was in no humor to discuss the case.
"You will pardon me," he repeated persuasively, still leaning forward,
"but concer-rning one point I should like much to know. If she is
thought guilty what will occur?"
"She will be bound over to the grand jury," I explained.
"That is, she will be placed in prison?"
"Of course."
"But, as I understand your law, she may be released by bondsmen."
"Not in a capital case," I said; "not in a case of this kind, where
the penalty may be death."
"Ah, I see," and he nodded slowly. "She would then not be again
released until after she shall have been proved innocent. How great a
time would that occupy?"
"I can't say--six months--a year, perhaps.
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