The Washington bee., 1899-02-25
rHE WASHINGTON BEE.

Even tnoUSH ulS oduSHler Old not be-
lieye 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 flash
ed through the judges mind, and he
| glared at his visitor savagely He
hadn't doubt that he meant every
word that he said. Through his light
bantering tone there ran a vein OF
earnestness and confidence that was
more dangerous than any loud bluster-
| ing would have been. He was conf
! dent that he had good thing"
whether the judge paid up now or not.
The judges good thing seemed to
] 1IC DCIWCSh pay luSo OuL 31O,OOU III CASH
or having big scandal ON his hands
Suddenly smile flashed across his
| face. and then the lips were compressed
tightly. The stranger did not notice
! the change of expression.
We'll" said the judge, 81 must con-
fess that this is pretty tight place.
Maybe we could discuss it better over
a drop of liquor
He arose and opened handsome
mahogany cabinet that fitted snugly
over the low mantel. In another min
ute whisky, water, sugar and glasses
were placed Hospitality on the table.
Fill your glass;" said the lawyer,
| graciously. Ten thousand dollars is
enough money to deserve some con-
sideration before being parted with.
| Bring your chair around in front of
the table. 1t must be cold back there"
He pulled his chair close up to the
! fire and the stranger did likewise, so
that they were sitting right in front
of the crate, with their faces not four
feet from the smouldering flames.
Anyone looking in would have
thought that they were two old friends
taking social evening toddy together.
Now, then, sir, your scheme is sim
ply to blackmail me out of $4,000,
believer"
Exactly so, judge
And you think you have a pretty
good thing?"
Sure of it"
"If / understand you rightly, you
say l must give you this money, or you
will go to Senator Holt and tell him
that / have wife living out west, and
then you will go to law to force me to
give money to this woman, but If
give you the $4,000 you promise to
turn over the proofs to me and leave
the country"
Yes, that's just it,
cat the same time you admit that
| all these documents of yours are for
geries and that the letter you have of
mine was written for another man who
happened to have my initials?"
"Oh, of course l know all that, but
if you let it go to law / wouldn't hesi-
tate to swear just the opposite, and
defy you to prove that am lying"
well, you certainly are candid.
Aren't you little afraid to acknowl
edge all this so boldly?"
Not bit Of it.
Maybe you are right muttered the
judge. Just wait minute"
He stepped over to the big desk in
the corner, and when he turned he was
grasping a pistol.
Now my young friend" said he,
pointing it at the visitors head, you
sit where you are and listen"
He reached in the cabinet over the
mantel and touched a spring. There
was a phonograph concealed in the
back of it. The judge had started it
when he got out the brandy. Now
he reversed it and attached funnel
shaped device, and the whole of the
conversation came out in tones that
could be heard all over the room. The
judge sat in his chair, holding his pis
tol and smiling pleasantly.
The strangers face was a study. Sur
prise, rage, fear came and went, and
were finally succeeded by a look Of
comical disgust.
When the last word was finished the
lawyer could hold in no longer, and
burst into hearty laugh. The stran-
ger glanced up in surprise, and his look
of cool impudence returned.
Judge, l tell you what we'll do
Give me S100 and we'll call it square. %
Cool as ever, are you, my cheerful
liar?" laughed the other. Now may
be you will tell me why 1 should not
send you to the penitentiary?"
'Oh, you don't want to do that You
are going to be married next week,
you know, and you would not like to
think that your marriage meant the
beginning of long term of suffering
to one of your fellow mortals"
The judge was so pleased at getting
out of what a little while before had
seemed tight place that he laughed
again.
Well" said he, ''you come back here
tomorrow at 8 o'clock and bring all