—“So, of course, I advised the District Attorney to adjourn the matter for a week, and he did it. In the meantime I began to see daylight, and I told him to adjourn it again. But Mackenzie either saw the point or suspected something, for he fought like a devil against further delay, and we only got three days. Three days! Good lord—I had to have two weeks. And, to make things worse, yesterday old Judge Masterton was unexpectedly assigned to hold court, and Geddes is the only man in town who can approach Masterton on a delicate matter of this kind. But Geddes wasn’t at home, and for nearly a day we couldn’t get on his trail. Then we learned he was in Buffalo, but we couldn’t find the District Attorney to get his consent to retaining Geddes. My God, we sweated blood, but we couldn’t find him—and every hour was precious. Finally Glenning had to start for Buffalo without the necessary consent. Two hours later I located the District Attorney, got what I wanted, and then learned Geddes had left Buffalo for Albany! Well, it was one chance in a thousand, but I wired Glenning on the express, caught it before it reached Albany—and Geddes is retained! What do you think of that?”
There was no response from the bed, and Hertzog bent forward to see if the patient was asleep, but stopped as the laboured speech of the sick man reached him.
“And Geddes—he will apply for another adjournment?”
“Yes, and win it, too. He’s got Judge Masterton in his pocket, I tell you!”
“I don’t—I’m not sure—I understand.”
“Can’t you see that Horton’s sentence will expire before the motion for new trial can be heard?”
“Yes—but——”
The sick man raised himself on his elbow, and stared at his visitor.
“Well, when a man’s served his sentence, the Court won’t entertain an application for a new trial. So there won’t be any public discussion of Horton’s interesting yarns. See? Pretty good, isn’t it? You’ll have to study law when you get well, Constable. I tell you it pays. Tricks in all trades, you know, and there’s nothing like—— Why, Constable, old man, what’s the matter? Here, Nurse! Nurse! Come and look after your patient. He’s struck me and he’s trying to get out of his bed! You’ve got him?—Yes, of course I’ll go—but I didn’t say anything to excite him. All right, I’m going—but what in the world——”
“Write!” panted the sick man as the door closed, “and for God’s sake write quickly, Nurse. Are you ready? Yes? Now then——