"Not guilty, Your Honor," said Randolph P. Farrell. "May I ask the extent of the bond?"
The judge adjusted his glasses and studied the information which the district attorney had laid before him.
"In view of the number of charges and the seriousness of each, I must fix an aggregate bond of five thousand dollars, or twelve hundred fifty dollars for each case."
"Thank you; we had come prepared for more. Mr. Fairchild, who is Mr. Harkins' partner, is here to appear as bondsman. The deeds are in his name alone, the partnership existing, as I understand it, upon their word of honor between them. I refer, Your Honor, to the deeds of the Blue Poppy mine. Would Your Honor care to examine them?"
His Honor would. His Honor did. For a long moment he studied them, and Fairchild, in looking about the courtroom, saw the bailiff in conversation with a tall, thin man, with squint eyes and a scar-marked forehead. A moment later, the judge looked over his glasses.
"Bailiff!"
"Yes, Your Honor."
"Have you any information regarding the value of the Blue Poppy mining claims?"
"Sir, I have just been talking to Mr. Rodaine. He says they 're well worth the value of the bond."
"How about that, Rodaine?" The judge peered down the court room. Squint Rodaine scratched his hawklike nose with his thumb and nodded.