"Are you ready to proceed to trial?" sternly asked the court of the plump man in the surtout.
"I am not, your honor," replied the man. "I have not been paid."
Candido raised his hands in supplication. "O giudice! Confesso——"
The lawyer glanced at him contemptuously. "Shut up, you fool!" he growled in Italian.
"You have not been paid? That makes no difference. This is no time to throw over your client."
"I do not represent the prisoner," replied the other stubbornly. "If your honor cares to assign me as counsel, I shall be pleased to do so."
Candido, hearing the severity of the judge's tones, shook in every limb.
"So that is your game!" exclaimed his honor wrathfully. "You have induced this man to retain you as his lawyer, in order that now, on the plea that you have not been paid, you may induce me to assign you as counsel, and thus secure the five-hundred-dollar fee allowed by the State. A fine performance! I order you to proceed to trial!"
"Then I respectfully decline," retorted the other, turning toward the door.
The judge bit his lips in well-controlled anger. "Mr. District Attorney, prepare an order at once and serve it upon this attorney to appear before me to-morrow morning and show cause why he should not be punished for contempt of court. I will assign ex-Judge Flynn to the defense. Adjourn court until to-morrow morning." The judge rose and strode indignantly from the bench, while the jurors surged toward the entrance.