Thorndyke directed an inquiring glance at Reuben Hornby, remarking--

"You are not called upon to incriminate yourself in any way, Mr. Hornby,
but I must know what position you intend to adopt." Here I again
proposed to withdraw, but Reuben interrupted me.

"There is no need for you to go away, Dr. Jervis," he said. "My position
is that I did not commit this robbery and that I know nothing whatever
about it or about the thumb-print that was found in the safe. I do not,
of course, expect you to believe me in the face of the overwhelming
evidence against me, but I do, nevertheless, declare in the most solemn
manner before God, that I am absolutely innocent of this crime and have
no knowledge of it whatever."

"Then I take it that you did not plead 'guilty'?" said Thorndyke.

"Certainly not; and I never will," replied Reuben hotly.

"You would not be the first innocent man, by very many, who has entered
that plea," remarked Mr. Lawley. "It is often the best policy, when the
defence is hopelessly weak."

"It is a policy that will not be adopted by me," rejoined Reuben. "I may
be, and probably shall be, convicted and sentenced, but I shall continue
to maintain my innocence, whatever happens. Do you think," he added,
turning to Thorndyke, "that you can undertake my defence on that
assumption?"

"It is the only assumption on which I should agree to undertake the
case," replied Thorndyke.