I saw Jones the constable last night, and he told me all that had been said in court." "And you think Reuben Whitney is innocent ?" she asked eagerly.
"I am quite sure of it, Miss Ellison--as sure as I am of my own existence.

For anyone who knows him to have a doubt is absolutely absurd.

A finer young fellow than Reuben it would be hard to find." "But what did he say?
How did he account for his tools being found there ?" The schoolmaster repeated the account Reuben had given, and said: "When the trial comes off I shall, of course, go over; and testify both as to his general conduct and to the fact that he had, as he said, promised to bring over his tools to put up some shelves in my cupboards." "Do you think he will get off, Mr.Shrewsbury ?" she asked anxiously.
"I should hope so, Miss Ellison, but I can't disguise from myself that it is by no means certain.

That unfortunate old business about the dog will tell terribly against him; and though I am perfectly sure that his account of what took place is correct, there is nothing to confirm it.

It is just the sort of story, they will say, that he would naturally get up to account for his absence, and for the tools being found.