The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-07-09

hand and no could not write for himself. >
His visitor lighted fresh cigar and
gazed calmly up to the ceiling.
Judge" he said, II hardly expected
you to give in just because of that note,
but | thought [ might as well try it at
frst-just as a 'feeler, you might say.
Now listen to me. We are alone here.
No one is around to listen. l never like
to bluff-when | hold a good hand. So
am going to make honest confession, and
if my soul don't profit by it maybe my
pocket WILL know as we'll as you do
that woman is not your wife, but [ must
have money, and l wouldn't hesitate to
swear that she is. Harry Roberts, who
afterward married her, saved your life
when yon first came out to that country,
'tenderfoot. So when he got in trouble
and had to skip out he came up to your
cabin on the Point with his hand all
smashed to flinders, and you felt called on
to write that note to his wife for him and
to hel p him out of the country. He was
caught, however, and hung afterward, so
he is out of the way.
Now the case stands this way; am a
tolerably well educated man myself, and
it was no great trouble for me take May S
marriage certificate and make William
Henry Roberts read William HerndOn
Richards. IF you remember May, you
know she is uncrupulous | had a friend
in the clerks office, and l managed to
get in there and change the license the
same way. So you see we have docu-
ments a-plenty. You Il give me the $40, :
| 600 before noon tomorrow or | will show
your note to Senator Holt and commence
legal proceedings to compel you to provide
support for your wife, nee Robbins. -
The Judge was mad clear through now,
and he rose up and started for his visitor
with blood in his eye. The stranger
sprang behind the table.
''Easy, now," he cried, COR I'll let
you have it through the pocket. y And
the lawyer saw that he was grasping a
pistol in the side pocket of his coat. He
was by no means a coward, but he did not
care to run against pistol bullet. He
took his seat again.
''That' better, commented the stran-
ger. ''There is no need of violence in
this matter, l hope, | don't want to hurt
you. Just cool down little and consider
my proposition for few minutes; then
tell me what you think of it. y
II don't have to consider to tell you
that you are the most unmitigated liar and
scoundrel unhung T. said the judge, keep
ing his temper with difficulty. "But I
dom suppose that man who is SO shame
less as to confess himself the lying black
guard that you have to me can be affected
by anything [ can say, so Twill spare my
self the trouble Of expressing my opinion
of you. But you are as great fool as
liar Admitting that you have the license
and certifcate-which [ have no proof of
except the word of a confessed liar-don' t
you know that it would be the easiest
thing in the world for me to prove by
dozens of people in Red Gulch that Rob
erts and this woman were living together
as man and wife and that lived by my
self? Don't you know. -
"Now, judge, interrupted the stranger
in his turn, II didn't try any bluff on
you, but up and told the whole truth like
an honest man, and yet here you are a
bluffing already. Nobody knew whether
this woman was married to Roberts or
not, and nobody cared The class of wo-
men who live in mining town like that
was are not usually overparticular as to
their morals Besides, Red Gulch is a
dead town now, and has been dead for
five years. Where would you go to find
a single man whom you knew there seven
years ago? Now listen to me- Suppose
you don't give me the SO, 900? What
happens? [ go to the senator with my
proofs; the senator puts his foot down on
a certain marriage; you say it is all black
mailing lie; the senator says my evidence
looks pretty strong; that you must prove
it lie. Then you have nice job on
your hands. You have got to hunt up a
lot of people that you have not heard of
for years, and if you should happen to find
some of them not one would be able to
swear that the Robbins woman was mar
ried to Roberts or was not married to you.
All of that would take time and money
and accomplish nothing in the end
''On the other hand, give me the mon
ey-and $4,000 is cheap, too, I tell
you-and in "a hours all the documents
are in your possession, and [ am out
of the way. If you don't, think what mt
little story to the senator means for YOU -
The judge obediently thought and it
was not pleasant thinking. He did not
believe that the woman could win the case
with her forged documents, but this fellow
was just the kind of daredevil to 90 to
the senator with his story and then to law.
The senator would certainly postpone the
wedding, and there would be long delay.
Even though his daughter did not believe
the story, she would suffer OF course
there would be endless talk and gossip.
The story would be in the papers, old
pranks of his younger days would be raked
up, and even though he cleared himself
finally there would be bitter sting left
There would be many to say that where
there was so much smoke there must be
some fire. Then his political aspirations
The election was to come off in six months
Nice campaign material this scandal would
make for his opponents
These thoughts and many more flashed
through the judges mind, and he glared
at his visitor savagely. He hadn' doubt
that he meant every word that he said.
Through his light, bantering tone there ran
vein of earnestness and confidence that
was more dangerous than any loud bluster-
ing would have been. He was confident
that he had ''good thing whether the
judge paid up now or not.
The judges ''good thing seemed to
lie between paying out SO, 900 in cash