Pagina 146 van 439

He wrote me a letter and told me to keep mum and he would fix it

for me to get out in a few months. I believed him, kept my mouth

padlocked, and served seven years without him lifting a hand for

me. Then, when I make my getaway he tries first off to shut my

mouth by putting me out of business. That's what your friend

done, ma'am."

"Is this true?" asked the girl whitely.

"So help me God, every word of it."

"He let my brother go to prison without trying to help him?"

"Worse than that. He sent him to prison. Jim was all right when

he first met up with Dunke. It was Dunke that got him into his

wild ways and led him into trouble. It was Dunke took him into

the hold-up business. Hadn't been for him Jim never would have

gone wrong."