They were enjoying it all too much just as it was going.
"Do you expect, Dodge, that a court and a jury would take your unsupported word against the testimony of two such men as Dr.
Carter and the Rev.Mr.Davidson?
Do you imagine, for a moment, that Fessenden and your other tools wouldn't become utterly frightened and confess to everything against you?
Do you imagine that anything you could do or say would save you, Dodge, from going to the penitentiary for ten or fifteen years ?" The attorney's cool, incisive manner brought Bert Dodge to his senses.
A deathly fear assailed him.

His knees began to shake.
"The case is too well fixed against me," he replied hoarsely.
"Ye---es, I guess you had better drop it all." The elder Dodge now sprang to his feet.
"Drop it, you young scoundrel ?" he yelled at his son.

"Why did you ever drag me into any such infamous piece of business?
I went into this believing that you told me the truth." "I---I did, sir," stammered Bert.
"Bah, you are a perjurer, you young villain!" raged his father.
"Griffin, this matter cannot go a step further.

You will destroy those miserable affidavits before my eyes!" "I am sorry, Mr.Dodge," replied the lawyer, "but I am not at liberty to do that." "You can't destroy the affidavits ?" howled Bert, his voice breaking.
"Why not! Aren't you our lawyer ?" "I am even more an officer of the court than I am anyone's attorney," replied Mr.Griffin gravely.

"A lawyer has no right to conceal a crime when he knows one has been committed not even to save his own clients." "Wh---what do you propose to do, Griffins ?" demanded the elder Dodge, shaking.
"Why, I hope to save your worthless son from prosecution, Mr.
Dodge," returned the lawyer.