The Washington bee., 1899-02-25

pose was a big enough fool to give
you the original, do you? That was
, a copy-tracing paper, you know.
Now, judge"-and he dropped his ban
tering tone-''come down to business.
You don't want Senator Holt to see
that note. Give me $4,000, and in "a
hours the note shall be in your pos
session, and | will be out of the way"
"Pshaw, man. said the lawyer con-
temptuously,-" don't be a fool Don't
you suppose that note like that can
be explained away? If your woman
what's her name, May Robbins-has
any documents, bring them out and I
may talk to you, but in the meantime
intend to see that you work out your
term in the penitentiary'
But you acknowledge your writ
ing?" asked the stranger, ignoring the
threat
Yes, wrote that note, but if you
know anything about it at all you
know that / wrote it for that gentle
manly thief and all around scoundrel,
Harry Roberts, after the Sheriff had
|, shot him through the hand and he
could not write for himself.
His visitor lighted a fresh cigar and
gazed calmly up to the ceiling.
Judge" he said, 81 hardly expect
ed you to give in just because of that
note, but l thought l might as well
try it at first-just as a feeler, you
might say Now listen to me. We
are alone here. No one is around to
listen. / 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 well as you
do that that woman is not your wife,
but l must have money, and l would
not hesitate to swear that she is.
Harry Roberts, who afterward married
her, saved your life when you first
came out to that country a tender
foot 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 call
| ed on to write that note to his wife
for him and to help him out of the
| country He was caught however, and
/ hung afterward, so he is out of the
| way.
| Nov the case stands this way:
am a tolerably well educated man my
self, and it was no great trouble for
me to take Mays marriage certificate
and make William Henry Roberts read
| William Herndon Richards. If you
remember May, she is unscrupulous.
| had friend in the clerks office, and
| managed to get in there and change
the license the same way. So you see
we have documents a-plenty. You'll
give me the $4,000 before noon to-
morrow or / will show your note to
Senator Holt and commence legal pro-
ceedings 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, ''or I'll let
you have it through the pocket" 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 a pis-
tol bullet. He took his seat again.
That's better" commented the
stranger There is no need of vio-
lence in this matter, | hope. l don't
want to hurt you. Just cool down a
little and consider my proposition for
few minutes; then tell me what you
think Of it,
81 don't have to consider to tell you
that you are the most unmitigated liar
and scoundrel unhung!" said the judge,
keeping his temper with difficulty.
But / don't suppose that man who
is so shameless as to confess himself
the lying blackguard that you have to
me can be affected by anything l can
BILE of expressing my opinion of you.
But you are as great fool as liar
| Admitting that you have the license
| and certificate-which l 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 Roberts and this woman
were living together as man and wife
and that / lived by myself? Don't you
know
Now judge" interrupted the stran-
ger in his turn. Il 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 women who lived in a mining
town like that was not usually over
particular as to their morals. Be-
sides, Red Gulch is a dead town now,
and has been dead for five years.
Where would you go to find single
man whom you knew there seven years
ago? Now listen to me- Suppose
you don't give me the $4,000? What
happens? l go to the senator with
my proofs; the senator puts his foot