Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-29

crowded into . corresponding mum
 Der of hours. Early in the morninl
 he had begun besieging the headquar
 ters wire ofice for news and .instruc
 tions, and, owing to Rents good in
 tentions to be on the ground in per
 son, had got little enough of either.
 At length to his unspeakable re
 lief, he had news of the coming spe-
 cial; and with the conviction that hell
 was at hand he waited at the station
 with what coolness there was in him
 to meet his chief But as the tint
 for the hearing drew near he grew
 nervous again; and all the keen pains
 of utter helplessness returned with re-
 newed acuteness when the operator,
 who had overheard the Juniberg-Les-
 terville wire talk, told him that the special was hung up at the former sta- ton.
 70 my good Lord!" he groaned. "I'm in for 1t with empty hands!" None the less. he ran to the baggage room end of the building and, capturing an express wagon, had himself trun- dled out to the courthouse
 The judge was at his desk when Hunnicott entered, and Hawk was on hand, calmly reading the morning pa per. The hands of the clock on the wall opposite the judges desk pointed to five minutes of the hour, and for i've minutes Hunnieott sat listening, hoping against hope that he should hear the rush and roar of the incom- ing special.
 Promptly on the stroke of three the judge tapped upon his desk with his pencil.
 Now, gentlemen, proceed with your case; and I must ask you to be as brief as possible. have an appoint ment at four which cannot be post poned," he said, quietly; and Hawk threw down his paper and began at once.
 Hunnicott heard his opponents ar gument mechanically, having his ear attuned for whistle signals and wheel drummings. Hawk spoke rapidly and straight to his point, as befitted man speaking to the facts and with no jury present to be swayed by oratorical ef- fort When he came to the summariz- Ing of the allegations in the amended petition, he did it wholly without heat, piling up the accusations one upon another with the careful method of bricklayer building a wall. The simile thrust itself upon with irresistible force as he listened. If the special engine should not dash up in time to batter down the wall
 Hawk closed as dispassionately as he had begun, and the judge bowed yravely in Hunnicott's direction. The local attorney got upon his feet, and as he began to speak telegram was handed in. It was Rents wire from beseeching him to gain time at all hazards. and he settled himself 10 the task For 30 dragging minutes he rang the changes on the various steps in the suits. knowing well that the fatal moment was approaching still failing him-he would be compelled to submit his case with put scrap of an affidavit to'support it.
 The moment came, and still there was no encouraging whistle shriek from the dun plain beyond the open windows. Hawk was visibly disgust ed, and Judge MacFarlane was growing justly impatient. Hunnicett ri began again, and the judge reproved him mildly.
 Much of what you are saying is en- tirely irrelevant, Mir. Hunnicott. This hearing is on the plaintiffs amended petition"
 No one knew better than the local attorney that he was wholly at the courts mercy; that he had been so from the moment the judge began to his purely formal defense, en- tirely unsupported by affidavits or evil fence of any kind. None the less. he strung his denials out by every ampli- ication he could devise. and, having fred his last shot, sat down in despair ng breathlessness to hear the judges and decision.
 Judge MacFarlane was mercifully brief. On the part of the plaintiff here was an amended petition fully ortified by uncontroverted afidavits. )n the part of the defendantI com ,any there was nothing but formal ienial of the allegations. The duty of he court in the premises was clear. The prayer of the plaintiff was grant, d, the temporary relief asked for was 'iven and the order of the court would ssue accordingly.
 The judge was rising when the still. rot air of the room began to vibrate with the tremulous thunder of the ound for which Hunnicott had been Q long straining his ears. He was the irst of the three to hear ii. and he lurried out ahead of the others. At he foot of the stair he ran blindly Igainst Kent, travel-worn and hag- ard.
 You're too late," he blurted out. We're done up. Hawks petition has ,een granted and the road is in the lands of a receiver" |
 Kent dashed his fist upon the stair all
 Who is the man7" he demanded.
 Major Jim Guilford," said Hunni- ott Then. as footballs coming stair vard were heard in the upper corridor. Ie locked arms with Kent, faced him bout and thrust him out over the