W. Pett Ridge

“ Glancing round on that occasion, he caught sight of one or two of his fellow-workmen, now wearing a more sympathetic look on their faces, and this gave him content; the occurrence that really gratified him was the first part of a brief interview presently with Dowton in the passage of the court.
'Well,' asked Mr. Dowton, with a clumsy assumption of good-fellowship, 'how are we getting on, eh?'
'I'm getting on all right,' replied Alfred; 'you seem to be getting yourself in a bit of a corner. Why don't you give up the force and go in for a milk walk? ”

“ I ask you this question: On whose information was it that this serious and most damnatory charge was brought against my client?'
'You must understand, sir——' began Dowton.
'No, no, no, no! I don't want to be lectured by members of the police force. ”

“ When, the next day, after an interview at Greenwich with a large white-faced solicitor, he had taken his place in court between the two parallel bars of iron, Dowton stepped into the witness-box and told the magistrate and the magistrate's clerk that the police were unable to carry the matter further; they begged, therefore, to leave it in the hands of the magistrate. Dowton, backing out of the box with an apologetic air, was stopped by Alfred's solicitor, who shot up from his seat in front of the dock. ”

“ He turned to go. 'How do I get out of this place?'
'Anyone,' said Alfred, 'can get out of Holloway who's behaved themselves. So you're all right, William.'
It was characteristic of Alfred that, with this unexpected receipt of good news, he should instantly adopt a perfectly optimistic mood. One less inclined by nature to cheerfulness would have feared that at the last moment some other charge might be brought against him, which he would have had difficulty in answering ”

“ Lot you think of me and the poor children! Wonder you can look me in the face.' 'Yer sister Sarer sent her kind regards, and told me to tell you that she's always prophesied to herself that some'ing of the sort would 'appen.' 'Mind you don't go gettin' that same bloomin' mouthpiece what you got for me before, ole man. ”