"Death," said the Judge, "wipes out all animosities. I know you would not use those letters now, Mr. Huber, because I know you would not strike a dead man. So I have come to ask you to deliver them to me." He held out his opened hand.
Luke blinked at it.
"I don't understand," said he. "I thought you always represented yourself as—well, as not professionally retained in this matter?"
"I am now," said the Judge.
"Oh! By the estate?"
"Not directly and not altogether." Stein chose his words. "I am retained by the company whose property those letters are."
"I thought you had left the railroad-claim business long ago. Perhaps you are specially retained for this one job?"
The Judge looked hurt. His firm mouth quivered.
"Mr. Huber," he said, "I am in no frame of mind for joking to-day. This man is dead, and he was my friend——"
"I'm sorry to have seemed to joke," Luke interrupted.