After a lot of begging, Atticus let Dill stay the next few days in Maycomb. We kept playing and trying to get Boo to come out of his house, but he still didn't.
Then, one day, Mr. Heck Tate came to our door and started telling Atticus that Tom Robinson was going to be moved to the county jail before his trial.
Mr. Link Deas, another man in town, wanted to know if there was a chance that the trial could be held in another town for safety reasons. Mr. Deas is nervous about a crowd coming together when they’re drunk and causing trouble for Tom.
He continued, “—don’t know why you touched this trial in the the first place. You’ve got everything to lose from this, Atticus. I mean everything.”
“Do you really think so? … Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till the truth’s told.” Atticus’s voice was even. “And you know what the truth is.”
There was a murmur from the group of men. The trial made eveyrone uncomfortable. They were worried people might attack Tom.
When Atticus came into the house he went to his chair and picked up the paper to read. I walked home with Dill and returned in time to overhear a conversation between Atticus and Aunty. I found Jem in his bedroom. “Have they been arguing” I asked.
“Sort of. She won’t leave him alone about Tom Robinson. She almost said Atticus was disgracing the family. Scout… I’m scared.”
“Scared ‘a what?”
“Scared about Atticus. Somebody might hurt him.”
