“Haven't begun to work up the case for the Grand Jury yet?”

“No,” answered Farwell, in almost a whisper, his head hanging.

“Why,” Lafe said, in a tone of quiet surprise; “you haven't given all that up, have you?”

“Yes.”

“Well, ain't that strange?” said Lafe. “What's the trouble?”

Knowles didn't answer. In fact, I felt mighty sorry for him.

All at once, Gorgett's manner changed; he threw away his cigar, the only time I ever saw him do it without lighting another at the end of it. His feet came down to the floor and he wheeled round on Farwell.

“I understand your wife's a mighty nice lady, Mr. Knowles.”

Farwell's head sank lower till we couldn't see his face, only his fingers working kind of pitifully.

“I guess you've had rather a bad night?” said Gorgett, inquiringly.