The Dickinson press., 1896-10-03
a DECISION.

"This case" said the judge, with a
serious yet half-tender glance at the
papers before him, sis one that enlists
the ardent sympathles of the layman
and the more ardent interest of the
legal student"
To hear Judge Holbrook speaking this
one might have supposed that he was
beginning an address to a jury as coun-
sci for the claimants to a considerable
fortune; but, in fact, he was in his
library, In his own home, alone with
his books and his learning. Far from
being an advocate in the case in hand.
he was the presiding justice.
He had been listening patiently all
day to the best eloquence that CAL
houn county could furnish. A half
dozen lawyers on each side had faced
him for eight hours, and all through
that time somebody had been talking
to him, some lawyer had been endeav-
oriDg to convince him as to the proper
disposition Of Josiah Tellafer's enor-
nous fortune.
1t was now evening. Judge Hol-
brook had dined le:surely after the
long session and then had taken up the
briefs, with their hundred references,
for a conscientious, personal study Of
the points involved. 1t never for a
moment panied him to render q de-
cision against a perfectly prepared
case. Fe worshiped the law, and it
may be he experienced an added pleas
ure in finding that the statutes were
proof against the cleverest attacks Of
the advocates.
He took up the case in hand with as
much spirit as II he had not listened
to it all day. 1t was his habit to begin
the consideration of fine problems by
speaking his views aloud, for he had
been a famous pleader In his younger
days, and he found that it helped him
to concentrate his attention on his
work to argue the matter as II he was
trying to convince a third party.
"Here Is a widow, a most estimable
lady, whose life must pass in AFFECT
poverty If the law does not sustain her
claims. Associated with her on the
same side and similarly circumstanced
are several young people and two very
old mes. And there Is the lass, Efie.
The loss of this suit means the ruin Of
her only romance. All, well, all these
are good people, good, modest, gener-
Gus, and yet so situated that a trick Of
the law may make them miserable for
life. I cannot help feeling sorry for
them"
The Judge paused and glanced ad-
mirlngly at the pages of the brief.
Judge Holbrook's eyes twinkled with
pleasure as he came to a sentence of
remarkable brevity and more remark
able lucidity. The window curtains
rustled, but the breeze failed to arouse
a whisper from the leaves Of the trees
or the great oleanders growing on the
lawn. The Judge turned Y er q page
of the brief with a cracking sound of
stir paper, and the curtains shook
with the-was it the breeze?
"a genuine lawyer, Routledge Hamp-
den,'' exclaimed the judge, smiling.
Ellis brief has put the claimants case
in a nut shell, and so beautifully that
it is almost sure to VIM"
He sat down in his big chair and
turned v e the pages of a musty vol
ume in search of some Of the refer
ences in Lawyer Hampden's brief.
The curtains ut his back stirred again
they parted slightly-a little wider.
A mans face appears there, eager, rus
picious, cruel, repulsive. The curtains
fall together again with q CULVER, and
the tree tops can just whisper timor-
ously together under the influence of
a Whit of air that does not stir the
oleanders near the ground.
MAnd IN %hink ~ rosnn,od fhn 3ud0o
putting Hampden's brief aside and
taking up another, "of those person
ally interested on the other side. No
dock with more vicious, vindictive
fer's nephew-a man Of evil propensi-
possession of a fortune could confer no
ture. His claim in natural equity
that Of the Others"
The curtain divided again, and the
same face, intensely hateful and pas
sionate, peered for an instant at the
judge. Even as 1t was looking, the
judge began again in a half declama-
tory tone:
''That the sublime fabric of the law
should uphold the claims Of such a
monster observation-disclosures"
Judge Holbrook could not 60 farther
than this in criticism of the law. "But
If it proves that the law upholds his
claim, he must be supported by the
bench"
For several minutes the Judge busted
himself over the defendants brief, an
alyzing the sentences, consulting ref.
erences and jotting down notes. Pres
emily the judge rose to his feet.
"There is another point!' he ex.
claimed. 'In tombstone versus Hayne
I recall that a similar situation was
disclosed, and, on my word, I believe
that Routledge Hampden failed to see
the bearing on this case. It will tend
strongly in his favor If my memory of
the decision Is correct. How pleasant
it would be in this case to find the law
on the side Of the innocent"
He found the volume of reports in
which tombstone versus Hayne was re.
corded and read the points and decis.
ion with evident satisfaction. The
man on the veranda was greatly ex-
cited. The suspicion in his face had
become desperation.
SOItly he pulAeu the curtains aside
and stepped into the room. The Judge,
STOPPING over the lamp and volume in
the alcove, neither saw nor heard him.
Rapidly and noiselessly the intruder
crossed the library and passed through
the open door to the dark parlor. He
paused there for an instant that his
eyes might accustom themselves to it's
gloom.
Then he picked his way past the
chairs and tables to the dining room,
and SO to the kitchen. There a col.
ored servant sat doing. The intruder
shook him by the shoulder.
"IIuh! Whar you come frum:" ex.
claimed the darby, awakening.
"From your MASTER" returned the
desperate looking nan, harshly.
"Frnm de jedge?"
"Ycs: and he's in a temper about
you, you lazy rascal! He wants some
Ice water. Get it ready at once; do
you understand? I'm the doctor, and
he's not we'll. Here, fill this pitcher
and take 1t to him. l will be preparing
some medicine while you are gone"
Half-asleep, the darkey did not no.
| flee that. the Relf-Stv1pd doctor had