By this time the court-house was in wild confusion, as the spectators arose from their seats and pressed forward to where Peterkin stood denouncing Harold, who was white as ashes, and looked as if he were going to faint, as Billy hastened to his side, whispering: 

‘Lean on me, and I will get you out of this.  Father is mad.’

But order was soon restored, though not until Peterkin had yelled again, as Harold was leaving the room: 

’Search him, I tell you!  Don’t let him escape!  He’s got ’em in his pocket—­Miss Tracy’s diamonds!  Lord of heavens! don’t you remember the row there was about ’em years ago?’

Of what followed during the next hour Harold knew very little.  There was a crowd around him, and cries of ‘He is going to faint!’ while Billy’s stammering voice called pleadingly, ’St-stand back, ca-can’t you, and gi-give him air.’

Then, a deluge of water in his face; then a great darkness and the voices sounded a long way off, and he felt so tired and sleepy, and thought of Jerry, and Maude, and lived over again the scene in the Tramp-House, when he found the former in the bag, and felt her little fat arms around his neck as he staggered with her through the snow, wondering why she was so heavy, and why her feet were dragging on the ground.  When he came more fully to himself, he was in a little room in the court-house, and Billy’s arm was lying protectingly across his shoulder, while Billy’s father was bellowing like a bull: 

‘Be you goin’ to let him go!  Ain’t you goin’ to git a writ and arrest him!  Why don’t you handcuff him, somebody?  And you, Bill, be you a fool to stan’ there a huggin’ him as if he was a gal!  What do you mean?’

‘Ha-Hal is my fr-friend, father.  He never to-took the diamonds,’ Billy answered, sadly, while Judge St. Claire, who had the box of jewels in his hand and was looking very anxious, turned to the angry man clamoring so loudly for a writ and said, sternly: 

’Even if Harold took the diamonds—­which he did not, I am certain of that—­there is some mistake which he will explain; but if he took them, it is too late to arrest him.  A theft commited ten years ago cannot be punished now.’

‘May the Lord give you sense,’ Peterkin rejoined, with a derisive laugh.  ‘Don’t tell me that a body can’t be punished for stealin’ diamonds ef ‘twas done a hundred years ago,’

‘But it is true, nevertheless,’ the judge replied.

Turning to another lawyer who was standing near, Peterkin asked: 

‘Is that so, square?  Is it so writ?  Is that the law?’

‘That is the law,’ was the response.

‘Wall, I’ll be condumbed, if that don’t beat all!’ Peterkin exclaimed.  ’Can’t be sent to prison!  I swow!  There ain’t no law or justice for nobody but me, and I must be kicked to the wall!  I’ll give up, and won’t try to be nobody, I vurm!’ And as he talked he walked away to ruminate upon the injustice of the law which could not touch Harold Hastings, but could throw its broad arms tightly around himself.