Wilks, and Aggie cried so that the squire, at last, said she must
go straight up to bed unless she stopped, for she would be making
herself ill again. When she was somewhat pacified, the matter was
discussed in every light, but the only conclusion to be arrived at was,
that their sole hope rested in the hugger getting safely off.
"Of course, my dear madam," the squire said, "if they are taken I will
do my best to get a pardon for your son. I am afraid he will have to
stand his trial with the rest; but I think that, with the
representations I will make as to his good character, I may get a
mitigation, anyhow, of a sentence. If they find out that it was he who
gave the alarm, there will be no hope of a pardon; but if that doesn't
come out, one would represent his being there as a mere boyish freak of
adventure, and, in that case, I might get him a free pardon. You must
not take the matter too seriously to heart. It was a foolish business,
and that is the worst that can be said of it."
"I think it was a grand thing," Aggie said indignantly, "for him to
risk being shot, and imprisoned, and all sorts of dreadful things, just
to save other people."
"And I think you are a goose, Aggie," the squire said. "If everyone
were to go and mix themselves up in other people's business, there
would be no end of trouble.
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