No man in this State shall injure me or mine and go
unpunished."
The next day Ben Dudley was arrested at Mink Run, on a warrant sworn
out by Fetters, senior, charging Dudley with attempted murder. The
accused was brought to Clarendon, and lodged in Beaver County jail.
Ben sent for Caxton, from whom he learned that his offense was not
subject to bail until it became certain that Barclay Fetters would
recover. For in the event of his death, the charge would be murder; in
case of recovery, the offense would be merely attempted murder, or
shooting with intent to kill, for which bail was allowable. Meantime
he would have to remain in jail.
In a day or two young Fetters was pronounced out of danger, so far as
his life was concerned, and Colonel French, through Caxton, offered to
sign Ben's bail bond. To Caxton's surprise Dudley refused to accept
bail at the colonel's hands.
"I don't want any favours from Colonel French," he said decidedly. "I
prefer to stay in jail rather than to be released on his bond."
So he remained in jail.
Graciella was not so much surprised at Ben's refusal to accept bail.
She had reasoned out, with a fine instinct, the train of emotions
which had brought her lover to grief, and her own share in stirring
them up. She could not believe that Ben was capable of shooting a man
from ambush; but even if he had, it would have been for love of her;
and if he had not, she had nevertheless been the moving cause of the
disaster.
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