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1At last the sleepy atmosphere was stirred--and vigorously: the murder trial came on in the court. It became the
2absorbing topic of village talk immediately. Tom could not get away from it. Every reference to the murder sent a
3shudder to his heart, for his troubled conscience and fears almost persuaded him that these remarks were put forth in
4his hearing as "feelers"; he did not see how he could be suspected of knowing anything about the murder, but still he
5could not be comfortable in the midst of this gossip. It kept him in a cold shiver all the time. He took Huck to a
6lonely place to have a talk with him. It would be some relief to unseal his tongue for a little while; to divide his
7burden of distress with another sufferer. Moreover, he wanted to assure himself that Huck had remained discreet. "Huck,
8have you ever told anybody about--that?" "'Bout what?" "You know what." "Oh--'course I haven't." "Never a word?" "Never
9a solitary word, so help me. What makes you ask?" "Well, I was afeard." "Why, Tom Sawyer, we wouldn't be alive two days
10if that got found out. You know that." Tom felt more comfortable. After a pause: "Huck, they couldn't anybody get you to
11tell, could they?" "Get me to tell? Why, if I wanted that halfbreed devil to drownd me they could get me to tell. They
12ain't no different way." "Well, that's all right, then. I reckon we're safe as long as we keep mum. But let's swear
13again, anyway. It's more surer." "I'm agreed." So they swore again with dread solemnities. "What is the talk around,
14Huck? I've heard a power of it." "Talk? Well, it's just Muff Potter, Muff Potter, Muff Potter all the time. It keeps me
15in a sweat, constant, so's I want to hide som'ers." "That's just the same way they go on round me. I reckon he's a
16goner. Don't you feel sorry for him, sometimes?" "Most always--most always. He ain't no account; but then he hain't ever
17done anything to hurt anybody. Just fishes a little, to get money to get drunk on--and loafs around considerable; but
18lord, we all do that--leastways most of us--preachers and such like. But he's kind of good--he give me half a fish,
19once, when there warn't enough for two; and lots of times he's kind of stood by me when I was out of luck." "Well, he's
20mended kites for me, Huck, and knitted hooks on to my line. I wish we could get him out of there." "My! we couldn't get
21him out, Tom. And besides, 'twouldn't do any good; they'd ketch him again." "Yes--so they would. But I hate to hear 'em
22abuse him so like the dickens when he never done--that." "I do too, Tom. Lord, I hear 'em say he's the bloodiest looking
23villain in this country, and they wonder he wasn't ever hung before." "Yes, they talk like that, all the time. I've
24heard 'em say that if he was to get free they'd lynch him." "And they'd do it, too." The boys had a long talk, but it
25brought them little comfort. As the twilight drew on, they found themselves hanging about the neighborhood of the little
26isolated jail, perhaps with an undefined hope that something would happen that might clear away their difficulties. But
27nothing happened; there seemed to be no angels or fairies interested in this luckless captive. The boys did as they had
28often done before--went to the cell grating and gave Potter some tobacco and matches. He was on the ground floor and
29there were no guards. His gratitude for their gifts had always smote their consciences before--it cut deeper than ever,
30this time. They felt cowardly and treacherous to the last degree when Potter said: "You've been mighty good to me,
31boys--better'n anybody else in this town. And I don't forget it, I don't. Often I says to myself, says I, 'I used to
32mend all the boys' kites and things, and show 'em where the good fishin' places was, and befriend 'em what I could, and
33now they've all forgot old Muff when he's in trouble; but Tom don't, and Huck don't--they don't forget him,' says I,
34'and I don't forget them.' Well, boys, I done an awful thing--drunk and crazy at the time--that's the only way I account
35for it--and now I got to swing for it, and it's right. Right, and best, too, I reckon--hope so, anyway. Well, we won't
36talk about that. I don't want to make you feel bad; you've befriended me. But what I want to say, is, don't you ever get
37drunk--then you won't ever get here. Stand a litter furder west--so--that's it; it's a prime comfort to see faces that's
38friendly when a body's in such a muck of trouble, and there don't none come here but yourn. Good friendly faces--good
39friendly faces. Git up on one another's backs and let me touch 'em. That's it. Shake hands--yourn'll come through the
40bars, but mine's too big. Little hands, and weak--but they've helped Muff Potter a power, and they'd help him more if
41they could." Tom went home miserable, and his dreams that night were full of horrors. The next day and the day after, he
42hung about the courtroom, drawn by an almost irresistible impulse to go in, but forcing himself to stay out. Huck was
43having the same experience. They studiously avoided each other. Each wandered away, from time to time, but the same
44dismal fascination always brought them back presently. Tom kept his ears open when idlers sauntered out of the
45courtroom, but invariably heard distressing news--the toils were closing more and more relentlessly around poor Potter.
46At the end of the second day the village talk was to the effect that Injun Joe's evidence stood firm and unshaken, and
47that there was not the slightest question as to what the jury's verdict would be. Tom was out late, that night, and came
48to bed through the window. He was in a tremendous state of excitement. It was hours before he got to sleep. All the
49village flocked to the courthouse the next morning, for this was to be the great day. Both sexes were about equally
50represented in the packed audience. After a long wait the jury filed in and took their places; shortly afterward,
51Potter, pale and haggard, timid and hopeless, was brought in, with chains upon him, and seated where all the curious
52eyes could stare at him; no less conspicuous was Injun Joe, stolid as ever. There was another pause, and then the judge
53arrived and the sheriff proclaimed the opening of the court. The usual whisperings among the lawyers and gathering
54together of papers followed. These details and accompanying delays worked up an atmosphere of preparation that was as
55impressive as it was fascinating. Now a witness was called who testified that he found Muff Potter washing in the brook,
56at an early hour of the morning that the murder was discovered, and that he immediately sneaked away. After some further
57questioning, counsel for the prosecution said: "Take the witness." The prisoner raised his eyes for a moment, but
58dropped them again when his own counsel said: "I have no questions to ask him." The next witness proved the finding of
59the knife near the corpse. Counsel for the prosecution said: "Take the witness." "I have no questions to ask him,"
60Potter's lawyer replied. A third witness swore he had often seen the knife in Potter's possession. "Take the witness."
61Counsel for Potter declined to question him. The faces of the audience began to betray annoyance. Did this attorney mean
62to throw away his client's life without an effort? Several witnesses deposed concerning Potter's guilty behavior when
63brought to the scene of the murder. They were allowed to leave the stand without being cross-questioned. Every detail of
64the damaging circumstances that occurred in the graveyard upon that morning which all present remembered so well was
65brought out by credible witnesses, but none of them were cross-examined by Potter's lawyer. The perplexity and
66dissatisfaction of the house expressed itself in murmurs and provoked a reproof from the bench. Counsel for the
67prosecution now said: "By the oaths of citizens whose simple word is above suspicion, we have fastened this awful crime,
68beyond all possibility of question, upon the unhappy prisoner at the bar. We rest our case here." A groan escaped from
69poor Potter, and he put his face in his hands and rocked his body softly to and fro, while a painful silence reigned in
70the courtroom. Many men were moved, and many women's compassion testified itself in tears. Counsel for the defence rose
71and said:
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