In his address to the jury, Pete’s attorney made no appeal in respect to the defendant’s youth, his struggle for existence, or the defendant’s willingness to stand trial, for Pete had unwittingly made that appeal himself in telling his story.  The attorney for the defense summed up briefly, thanking the jury for listening to him—­and then suddenly whirled and pointed his finger at the sheriff.

“I ask you as sheriff of Sanborn County why you allowed the defendant his personal liberty, unguarded and unattended, pending this trial.”

“Because he gave his word that he would not attempt to escape,” said Sheriff Owen.

“That’s it!” cried the attorney.  “The defendant gave his word.  And if Sheriff Owen, accustomed as he is to reading character in a man, was willing to take this boy’s word as a guarantee of his presence here, on trial for his life, is there a man among us who (having heard the defendant testify) is willing to stand up and say that he doubts the defendant’s word?  If there is I should like to look at that man!  No!

“Gentlemen, I would ask you to recall the evidence contained in the letter written by former employers of the defendant, substantiating my assertion that this boy has been the victim of circumstances, and not the victim of perverse or vicious tendencies.  Does he look like a criminal?  Does he act like a criminal?  I ask you to decide.”

The jury was out but a few minutes, when they filed into court and returned a verdict of “Not guilty.”

The attorney for the defense shook hands with Pete, and gathered up his papers.

Outside the courtroom several of the jury expressed a desire to make Pete’s acquaintance, curiously anxious to meet the man who had known the notorious Spider personally.  Pete was asked many questions.  One juror, a big, bluff cattleman, even offered Pete a job—­“in case he thought of punchin’ cattle again, instead of studyin’ law”—­averring that Pete “was already a better lawyer than that shark from El Paso, at any turn of the trial.”

Finally the crowd dwindled to Owen, the El Paso lawyer, two of Owen’s deputies, and Pete, who suggested that they go over to the hotel until train-time.

When Pete came to pay the attorney, whom Andover had secured following a letter from Pete, the attorney asked Pete how much he could afford.  Pete, too proud to express ignorance, and feeling mightily impressed by the other’s ability, said he would leave that to him.

“Well, including expenses, say two thousand dollars,” said the attorney.

Pete wrote the check and managed to conceal his surprise at the amount, which the attorney had mentioned in such an offhand way.  “I’m thankin’ you for what you done,” said Pete.

“Don’t mention it.  Now, I’m no longer your legal adviser, Annersley, and I guess you’re glad of it.  But if I were I’d suggest that you go to some school and get an education.  No matter what you intend to do later, you will find that an education will be extremely useful, to say the least.  I worked my way through college—­tended furnaces in winter and cut lawns in summer.  And from what Andover tells me, you won’t have to do that.  Well, I think I’ll step over to the station; train’s due about now.”