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 sufferin’. A Rainbow jury would send him to prison for life on those counts.”

“You’re too hard on Rainbow, Dave…. But there really is no need for him to be tried. Can’t we see the prosecutor and judge and have him released?”

“Um…. Crane’s prosecutor. He’s bellwether of your flock, isn’t he?”

“I doubt if that would influence him,” said the pastor.

“There,” said Dave with a touch of dry malice, “I agree with you. Knowin’ him as you do, and his habits of character, would you say offhand he would nolle pros the first murder case he’s ever sunk his teeth into?”

“If the boy is innocent, why shouldn’t he?”

“Wa-al, Trueman, there’s advertisin’ and kudos in a murder trial—with elements like this one. For a week Crane’ll be as conspicuous as a silk hat on a saddle horse.”

“Do you intimate he would force the thing through for his own selfish ends?”

“I’ll be mighty int’rested to see. Folks are mighty fascinatin’ to me at a time like this. It’ll be entertainin’ to watch Crane run slap up against an alternative, so to speak…. Let’s go watch it.”

Prosecutor Crane arose as his visitors entered his office and stepped forward with an air that