Chapters Eight and Nine Summary and Analysis

John Croft is selected by Millard Farmer to help with the case locally and it's John who tells Helen that Robert must not take up the time during his pardon hearing arguing that he's a political prisoner. He tells Helen that there are undoubtedly political aspects of the case, but that it would be a mistake to bring it up at the hearing. Robert tells Helen that he'd signed a confession but says that it was because he'd been told by the police that his mother was being arrested for helping him get out of the area. Robert says he was promised that his mother would be set free if he confessed and that he'd done so in order to protect his mother. He says he is angry that his mother served six months in...