Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-29
THE ACCOMPLICE
FREDERICK TREVOR HILL.
Copyright. 1905. by Harper & Brothers.
All rights reserved.

= 0ieo " with Sucn success that l was
given virtual assurance of sentence
not exceeding three years If he'd return
what he'd stolen. Ten years was what
l otherwise expected him to get, and l
ted him so when he asked my opinion.
He considered the matter for some time
and then dashed all my hopes
I'll stand pat he answered.
You mean you'd rather serve treble
time than give UP the whole or any part
of your steaHngs? l demanded, indtg-
nantly.
~ stand pat, he repeated calmly
IF the fellow had had kith or kin IN
need of the swag 1 wouldn't have blamed
him, but he didn't have anybody but him.
self to look out for. He simply preferred
to risk ten years than give up his i'll
gotten gains, and ! never did find out where
he'd hid EN-. With the aid of those good
character certificates, however l got his
sentence cut down to five years, for which
service he never as much as said thank
YOU
Didn't you get your fee?" inquired
Bayne
Not cent?" exclaimed the narrator.
He was born criminal with blame
less past
Il had case like that once" piped out
Carson.
Hold on, 1 haven't told you the worst
yet continued the fat man. 1.-TWO years
ago when | was down In scrag town in
oklahoma l was arrested for riding a
bicycle on the sidewalk, aid the justice
OF the blameless past. Well, sirs, he fined
me twenty-fiv dollars without the faIter-
Ing of an eyelid, and 1 believe If I hadn't
paid the fine and left town instanter he'd
what l call professional courtesy. What
We're you going to say, Carson?'
There was an audible litter at the uues-
ton. but the little bore lost no time In
grasping his opportunity.
Il was going to tell you about a case
mad Involving professional courtesy, he
began, hurriedly.
by jove, that reminds me.' burst in
a n.s otiein lawyer; One time when I was
Excuse mel interrupted Carson. indiz-
nantly -AN'e
Certainly old man-don't mention It,"
continued the tormentor. TN excuse you
any time, but I want the other fellows To
hear this yarn-and it's no yarn either hut
a true bill from Montana where no liars
are at large. Well as / was saying. when
was practicing out there the state prose-
cutor and the defendants counsel in a
murder trial were opposition candidates
for Congress, and in the middle of the case
the prosecutor saw that the evidence
was going against him and that an
h ae would be mighty popular. So
ne ups and requests the dismissal OF
the indictment and the discharge of tho
prisoner, knowing that the same would re-
Meet great credit on himself and knock the
wand out of his opponent. But the other
A>Ao" vas oiito tHe game ana with sure
case ne hadn't any notion of letting his adj
Versary win out on any magnanimous hluff
OF That sort. So he rears I'D on his hind
legs and fights to have the case submitted
TO the jury, claiming his client was entitled
10 an acqulttal at the hands of his peers
and nothing less than this would satisfy
MIN, and finally the judge decided to allow
the innocent gent to be eXonerated by the
jurors and submitted the case to them.
Well, sirs that jury stayed out bout IF
teen seconds and then brought in a verdict
of guilty.
You say that happened in Montana %
asked late conner, joining in the general
laugh.
Yes, SIR was the serious answer.
Well. I wouldn't believe it if you'd To-
Gated it twice as far away remarked the
auestioner as he took a chair which the
clerk offered him and sat down beside me.
Would your ne inquired smilingly, as
he offered me a cigar
Il don't know" l answered, as some one
started another story. Can prosecutor
dismiss a case If he thinks the prisoner
Innocent"
"Of course" answered my neighbor. eff
he couldn't, he might have to continue pros
ecutfng a man whom he believed innocent
That would be horrible. By the way, 1
want to introduce myself, Mr. Lambert. 1
am Abel Corning, one of Mr. Gilbert's as
sistants."
I glanced with interest at the speakers
face, which bore a certain resemblance to
Hunts, but though there was no mistaking
the two personalities, there was enough to
Justify Hunts subterfuge. Now, if / de-
nounced the unknown emissary who trav-
eled under the name of Abel Corning, and
could produce no one but the real Abel
Corning to answer the description, who
would be most involved, the prosecutor or
his opponent? Hunt had more than risen
to the emergency. He had surmounted it.
4 am very glad to meet you, Mr.. Corn
ing" / responded. do you happen to
know a lawyer named Hunt?" l added,
after a pause
"Hunt?" he repeated. mo, never heard
of him. Why do you ask"
Merely because" l began, but allowed
myself to be interrupted as Carson piped
up
II had a case like that once
% he continued tnmnrrnW