Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-29
CHAPTER TX.
THE SHOCKING OF HuNNrcorr,

THE SHOCKING OF HUNNIcoTT.
 It was two weeks after the date of
 he governors fishing trip, and by
 consequence Judge MacFarlanes court
 lad been the even fortnight in session
 Gaston. when Rents attention was
 recalled to the forgotten varnum case
 sy another letter from the local at-
 !orney, Hunnicott. a.
 "Varnum vs. Western sPacifc comes
 ID Friday of this week, and they are
 going to press for trial this time, and
 no mistake" wrote the local repre-
 tentative. Hawk has been chasing
 lround getting afidavits; for what
 purpose don't know, though Lesher
 lells me that one of them was sworn
 oy Houligan. the sub-contractor who
 tried to fight the engineers estimates
 on the Jump creek work.
 Also, there is a story going the
 eounds that the suit is to be made a
 blind for bigger game, though I guess
 his is all gossip, based on the fact shat MT. Semple g Falkland's pri- fvate car stopped over here two aWeeks ago, from three o'clock in the afternoon till midnight
 of the same day. Jason, of the Clarion, interviewed the New Yorker, and
 Falkland told him he had stopped over 10 look up the securities on a mort gage held by one of his New York clients"
 When Kent had dictated a letter in answer to Hunnicott's, he dismissed ssthe ,Varnum matter from his mind, fhaving other and more important ethings to think of. So, on the Friday, when the case was reached on Judge MacFarlane's docket-but really, 1t is worth our while to be present in the Gaston courtroom to see and hear what befalls.
 When the Varnum case was called. Hunnicott promptly moved for a third continuance, in accordance with his instructions. The judge heard his argument, the old and well-worn one of the absence of important witnesses, with perfect patience; and after list ening to Hawks protest, which was hardly more than mechanical, he granted the continuance n 4
 Then came the after-piece. Court adjourned, and immediately Hawk asked leave to present, "at cham bers," an amended petition. Hunni- colt was waylaid by a court officer as he was leaving the room; and a mo- ment later, totally unprepared, he was In the judges office, listening in some dazed fashion while Hawk went glib ly through the formalities of present. ing his petition.
 Not until the papers were served upon him as the company's attorney, and the judge waS tsasns ;thTee o'clock of the following afternoon as the time which he would appoint for the preliminary hearing, did the local attorney come alive.
 But, your honor,-a delay of only "A hours in which to prepare a re- 1oinder to this petition-to allegations of such astounding gravity?" he began, shocked into action by the very un- graspable magnitude of the thing.
 What more could you ask. Mir. Hum nicott?" said the judge. mildly. You have alrsadv had a full measure of delay on t''- original petition. Yet I am willin" 10 extend the time if you can come to an agreement with MT. Hawk here" s.f.
 Hunnicott knew the hopelessness of that and did not make the attempt. Instead, he essayed a new line of ob- jection.
 "The time would be long enough if Gaston were the headquarters of the company. your honor. But in such a grave and important charge as this amended petition brings. our general counsel should appear in person and"
 You are the oompany's attorney, Mir. Hunnicott." said the judge, dry ly; "and you have hitherto been deemed competent to conduct the case in behalf of the defendant am un- willing to work hardship 10 any one, but I cannot entertain your protest. The preliminary hearing will be a, three o'clock tomorrow"
 Hunnicott knew when he vas def- nitely at the strings end; and when he was out of the judges room and the he made a dash for his office, dry-lipped and panting. Ten suficed for the writing of a telegram to Kent, and ke was half way down to the station with it when t occurred to him that it would never 10 to trust the incendiary thing to the wires In plain English. There was ittle-used cipher code in his desk pro Tided for just such emergencies. and l hack he went to labor. sweating over he task of securing secrecy al the ex- ,ense of the precious minutes of time l it vas about four o'clock l rhsn he handed the telegram to the 'tation operator, and adiursa him by IIl that was good and great not to de- 1 ay its sending
 It vas just here he made his first i md orly slip. since he did not stay I Q see the thing done. It ehsnced that he regular day operator was of on cave of absence, and his substitute. q Houng man from the train dispztehsr's lfce. vas a person vho considered he company wires an exclusive sp- amaze of the train service depart aszt- Al the moment of Hunnieotts IsszuIt he vas taking an order for so 17. and observing that the lawyers fpher rush covered four elOssly- rrfttsn pages. he hung it upon ths ending Fooz uisH "a -zlsEsc-inr u1