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.
"And--if I may ask the question--" pursued Reuben anxiously, "do you find it possible to conceive that I may really be innocent ?" "Certainly I do," Thorndyke replied, on which I observed Mr.Lawley's eyebrows rise perceptibly.

"I am a man of facts, not an advocate, and if I found it impossible to entertain the hypothesis of your innocence, I should not be willing to expend time and energy in searching for evidence to prove it.