His manner of speaking led me to think that he knew more about you than was good for my client, and I felt sure that he had been the means of placing you in the jail to watch him." "I quite agree with you, Mr.Bollman; it did look suspicious," said Sommers; "but Mr.Olmstead asked me the same questions when I spoke to him.

I suppose he thought from our intimacy that I must have been acquainted with him before he was arrested." With this explanation, and the ingenuous manner in which it was given, the mind of Mr.Bollman seemed to be at rest upon this subject, and their further conversation related to the case in which Sommers himself would appear as defendant, and in which Mr.Bollman was to act as his counsel.
Sommers informed him that he had seen the gentleman whose name had been forged, and that, in consideration of the family connections of the accused, he had agreed not to appear against him, and that there would be very little danger of his conviction of the crime of which he was charged.
This appeared to be very gratifying information for Mr.Bollman, who therefore anticipated very little trouble in clearing his client and earning his fee.
It was further arranged between them that a letter should be sent to the relations of Bucholz in Germany, who had not as yet displayed any sympathy for the unfortunate man or made any offer of assistance to him, during the hour of his trial.
One noticeable feature of their conversation was the evident avoidance by both of them of a discussion of the probable guilt or innocence of the accused man, nor did either declare his belief in his innocence.
Mr.Bollman expressed himself very carefully: "I have followed up the theory of his guilt, and it does not agree with his own statements or those of other people.

Then, again, I have taken up the theory of his innocence, and this does not agree with his story either.

It is a most extraordinary case, and sometimes it seems to me that it cannot be otherwise but that William Bucholz is the guilty party; and then, again, there are some of his actions that tend positively to show that he did not do it.

I am at a loss what to say about it myself." Sommers gave Mr.Bollman to understand that he believed in the guilt of the accused man, but that, in despite of that fact, he was willing to help him to the extent of his power.
And so they parted, and Edward Sommers returned to Bridgeport to be near his fellow-prisoner, and to carry out the plan which was to be entrusted to him.
As he stepped from the train upon the platform, he was surprised to see the figure of Thomas Brown standing in the doorway of the station, evidently waiting for the train to bear him away for the time.