Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-06-08
HIS FIRST CLIENT.
BY August hasenfusz.

BY August Hasenfusz.
copyright, 1901, by w. r. Hearst.)
Franz Won der Helden, a young law
yer who had only just hung out his
single, was sitting in his office, nerv.
ously chewing the end OF his unlit
| cigar.
To discover that clients were not yet
regular visitors to his sanctum one only
needed to look at his desk, where q
very new looking volume OF the 'Prus.
sian Civil Code" was resting side by
side with a costly ivory fan, which he
had broken the night before at a wine
supper with a circus rider. and on TOP
of ar equally new and unused volume
of the Penal Code" were two scented
letters on dainty paper, evidently from
q woman of refinement. In the very
center of the desk raj a photo of a
beautiful but rather sensuous looking
woman of typical southern features.
His rather pleasant face was very
serious just now. Everything had hap
pened so entirely different from what
he had expected. Tomorrow the court
session was to open, n not n client
had appeared to ask for his services in
ever the most insignificant case. and
to think that the rich butcher and sau-
sage manufacturer, Mr.. Wermut, had
had the impudence to tell him that he
did not want to hear of any ngage-
ment between him, Franz Won der Hell
den, a blue blooded but poor lawyer.
n his own charming but plebeian
daughter, Ottilie, until he had pleaded
at least one case in court.
To drown his sorrow the young attor-
ney had thrown himself into a mael-
strom of dissipation. He was in con-
slant attendance on the beautiful circus
cider, who seemed to favor him far
hore than any Of the many members
o. the jeunesse doree who sighed for
ner love, and he had run hopelessly in
debt for flowers n jewelry which she
could not live without.
Suddenly there was a knock On h
door. His old bookkeeper, who sat in
the outside Office pretending to keep
Imaginary accounts and files, appeared
and Mr.. Wermuth, who
stood behind him with a bundle of legal
papers in his fat hand.
He deposited his mighty person in an
armchair. looked at the rather embar-
rassed attorney and said with a smile:
Il suppose you are surprised to see
ne here, Mr.. Won der Holden, to give a
ease into your hands, and you may be
quite sure that if it vas not because
Ottilie had nearly tortured h life out
Of me I should never have come. But
never mind. I have decided to risk it
and give o a fair trial. Now, If you
win this case for me we shall be
friends, and / may be able to bring you
more business: but If you lose I will
send my daughter to a Swiss boarding
school and take care that you see
neither her nor me any more. I sup
pose you need money, and you may
ask your w price, and I shall give
my cashier an order to advance you
any amount you may need.'
Won der Helden's first impulse was to
order his impudent prospective father
he controlled himself and began to look
through the papers which the sausage
manufacture handed him. 1t was a
case concerning q disputed boundary
line, but 1t was evident that grave mis-
takes had been made by the attorney
who had handled the business before
him. and for this reason Mr.. wermut
had lost the case in the lower court.
While he was busy studying the pa.
pers the young man nearly collapsed
e he saw how the butchers eyes
were riveted on h photograph Of the
beautiful circus rider, though strange
to say he had tact enough not to Jay
anything.
Three weeks later the case came up
In the first part Of the civil court: Franz
Won der Helden made a we'll prepared
speech which made q great impression
e h judge ordered a special local
session on the disputed property, which
was part Of the large garden surround
Ing hr. Wermut's residence:
The month of May had come. with
beautiful weather. and everybody
nailed with JOY the advent Of spring.
only OtttIle Wermut, q beautiful girl
OF IL, with golden hair and dark blue
eyes. would see nothing Of all this. and
walked around q if dazed ever since
~ ~ her father had come home ana
told OF the fan and photo on her lovers
desk And now that faithleae person
mad the audacity to walk up and down
peiow her veranda a. if nothing at all
had happened, and eveu asnile It her.
4 Few minutes later the rnenhors Of
the cou arrived. aud after haif IN
hours debate she was aurpVioed 20 soo
ner father and her fafthloee lover a.
9 q steps. arm In arm.
what should she do? She uould
not meet him at any cost; but where
could 90? Looking around 1h0
Jaw 2 door leading into Z closet wAerA
Eafden tools were kept. ana hurried In
tnefe: TIT door closed bahind her ~.
g FOUND herself In q small. dark.
pace. unable TO set out. as the dooH
coutd only b opened from the ont
slae. She heard her father enter the
n0u4e ana. though D was not q little
rs1raao, NO earthly power could make
neI eau the young lawyer 10 her 49,
slsle1ece. Suddenly. she heard q noise
aa.nonS the tools on the floor. and felt
nei.elf turn pale with horror. There
" no q there were mice "A the
place. and she had q deadly terror az
Mace. He eyes. which had now he-
SoHaSl used % b darkness, could even
~ stnem on the 0oor close to her face.