The Governor had been more influenced by watching the two as they
talked than by what he had heard.

"It seems to me, gentlemen," he suggested quietly, "that you are both
overlooking my presence." He turned to Callomb.

"Your coming, Sid, unless it was prearranged between the two of you
(which, since I know you, I know was not the case) has shed more light
on this matter than the testimony of a dozen witnesses. After all, I'm
still the Governor."

The militiaman seemed to have forgotten the existence of his
distinguished kinsman, and, at the voice, his eyes came away from the
face of the man he had not wanted to capture, and he shook his head.

"You are merely the head of the executive branch," he said. "You are
as helpless here as I am. Neither of us can interfere with the judicial
gentry, though we may know that they stink to high heaven with the
stench of blood. After a conviction, you can pardon, but a pardon won't
help the dead. I don't see that you can do much of anything, Crit."

"I don't know yet what I can do, but I can tell you I'm going to do
something," said the Governor. "You can just begin watching me. In the
meantime, I believe I am Commander-in-Chief of the State troops."

"And I am Captain of F Company, but all I can do is to obey the orders
of a bunch of Borgias."