Pagina 195 di 439

This was a new phase of the situation, and it went home to the

lawyer's mind at once. He had been brought into the case willy

nilly, and he would be blamed for anything that happened to this

young Texan, whose deeds had recently been exploited broadcast in

the papers. He stood for an instant in frowning thought, and as

he did so a clause in the letter from the Governor of Texas

caught and held his eye.

which I regard as the ablest, most daring, and, at the same time,

the most difficult and most successful piece of secret service

that has come to my knowledge....

Suddenly, Hilliard saw the way out--a way that appealed to him

none the less because it would also serve his own ambitions.

"Neither you nor I have any right to help this gentleman to

escape, sheriff. The law is plain. He is charged with murder. We

haven't any right to let our private sympathies run away with us.

But there is one thing we can do."

"What is that?" the sheriff asked.

"Let him earn his freedom."

"Earn it! How?"