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. "But a crime has been committed,
in that your son procured others to swear to false affidavits
True, the affidavits have not yet been presented in court, and
on that I base my hope that the matter will not have to go further.
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