Harper's Young People, November 29, 1881 / An Illustrated Weekly

SEE, THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!' HE CRIED.

Mr. Primrose arrived at home one morning just as his family were gathering for breakfast. He had been for two days at a small town about thirty miles distant, to which he had been summoned to assist in the trial of a pair of noted criminals.
You look tired out, said Mrs. Primrose.
Tired enough, he said. I have been up nearly all night.
How did that happen?
Well, it was partly my own fault. I met my old friend Philip Sanford up there; he was on the defense in the case I was prosecuting. We had a grand tilt over it—fought each other vigorously all the way through. The chief criminal shook his fist at me when I was making the closing speech. I began to see that the case was going against me, and I pressed the rascals pretty hard.
Dear me! said Mrs. Primrose, with an anxious face. I am always in fear of some of those desperate characters doing you some injury out of revenge.
The gentleman laughed. Don't worry yourself, dear, he said. There is much more to be feared from the rogues who go uncaught than from those who feel the strong grasp of the law. But, as I was telling, the case went to the jury about nine last night, and then Sanford and I got down to a game of chess. If I didn't beat him at law, I beat him well at the game, and it was one o'clock before we took heed of the time. Then, as my train was due at three, it was not worth while to go to bed, so we played and talked on. When I got to the station, I found the train was behind time, so I lay on a bench till it came, at five, and here I am.
You will take a rest now?