"Well, well!" murmured the Doctor. "Who would have thought it?--
Luke, the philosopher!--Killed a man!--I can hardly believe it."
"It's true enough--unfortunately," said Jip. "Luke did it. But
it wasn't his fault. Bob says so. And he was there and saw it
all. He was scarcely more than a puppy at the time. Bob says
Luke couldn't help it. He HAD to do it."
"Where is Bob now?" asked the Doctor.
"Down at the prison. I wanted him to come with me here to see
you; but he won't leave the prison while Luke is there. He just
sits outside the door of the prison-cell and won't move. He
doesn't even eat the food they give him. Won't you please come
down there, Doctor, and see if there is anything you can do? The
trial is to be this afternoon at two o'clock. What time is it
now?"
"It's ten minutes past one."
"Bob says he thinks they are going to kill Luke for a punishment
if they can prove that he did it--or certainly keep him in prison
for the rest of his life. Won't you please come? Perhaps if you
spoke to the judge and told him what a good man Luke really is
they'd let him off."
"Of course I'll come," said the Doctor getting up and moving to
go. "But I'm very much afraid that I shan't be of any real help."
He turned at the door and hesitated thoughtfully.
"And yet--I wonder--"
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