Judge Elbridge

nterprise here, religious as well as secular. Sit down. And we push religious matters, Mr. Bradley. Here everything takes up the vigorous character of the town. You know tha

e everybody sit down and then stand up yourself? Mr. Bradley, my broth

ng about on the scent of a prank, and when all other resources failed, he h

ld you, some time ago, that it was

s with his finger, laying down the law, as William termed it. "It's

Chicago presents a fertile opportunity for doing good

ertain," Will

n't like it here

upon the brother and in the f

e a fellow may make you get out of a stage-coach at the muzzle of

" said the Judge. He sat down, lighted a cigar,

answered. "I am try

d. The Judge laughed, and looked as if he were pr

y, "I'll wait till I go to my room

e it

he eleventh? Anyway, a party of us were going-it was the eleventh. Yes, the eleventh. I was only a young fellow

iam." He winked at Bradley. "And I was sorry to see it, t

. The brother proceeded: "Well, I'm reasonably certain it was the tenth. Yes. Well, on t

, you are much younger than we are, Bradley, but you are old enough to enter into the importance of this thing. As far as

ohn, don't you

William," sa

on't do anything of the

't I know it, o

nfound. You ar

with you

it on me, and I'll do nothing of the sort; and the first thing you know, I'll pick up and leave her

say that the tenth was the final date agreed upon. "By all parties concerned," said the Judge, puf

d, but William took no notice of the interruption

hat day," William began, "an

o you on the tenth?"

the el

ection for that day. In many ways a man may be pardoned for recklessness, but not in the matter of a date. The exact ti

ms you are enough to make a snow man melt h

the bench. But your story.

nd glared at the Judge. "Oughtn

believe you

rd the door, but before going out, halted, turned, and said: "Mr. Bradley, I'll tell you the story some other

he world," said the Judge, "and I

what younger t

o years.

hy do you bring visitors to this room? After the Judge retired from the bench, Mr. Bradley, he decided to move the main branch of his law office out here, and I di

only way to live is to be comfortable, and the only place in wh

hase come into t

as soon as I am

e girls want to see Mr. Bradley. Won't you make

e doesn't drop his cigar pretty soon we'll

ge," she added, turning to go. "Agnes declares that you shall not dra

. And during all the talk the preacher's mind had been dwelling

e said, when Mrs. Elbridge had quitted the room.

ated, have not broken the gau

bonds,

ut flimsy friend

n Miss Bodne

as character, too. I couldn't think more of her if she were my daughter-and she is to be my daughter. She and my son Howard are soon to be married. It is the prettiest romance in life or fiction. They are near the same age. They went to school hand in hand-sat beside each oth

he said: "The Spirit of God doing the work it loves th

in them toget

hank

knew him well. He was my friend at a tim

brother, Judge. I hav

d thoughtful. He and Howard are to take up the law

a happy m

I-er-a friend of mine told me a story that bothers me, although it is but a trifle and shouldn't worry me at all. He is a lawyer, situated very much as I am. He has been missing money from his safe. No one but himself knows the combination. He couldn't suspect either of his sons; they didn't know the combination-not to be considered at all. He doesn't keep large sums on hand, of course; just enough to accommodate some of his old-fashioned clients who like to do business in the old-fashioned way. It bothered him

you," said the young woman, entering the

a charming depu

ch women," she replied. "I'm glad I s

her. "We might dodge an arrow

re are some more people in there; a young fellow that looks like a scared rabbit. But he's got

d the Judge, "we are

that Howard had gone or was going to a reception and that Mr. Bodney was somewhere about the house. She had seen him passing along the h

ave us?" sai

ly bored. I want Florence t

ch confidence in me. There she is now. Florence, here's a man t

rence. "I wanted you

oking for you

ke to the Judge. "I can see t

r, with the light of admi

ch other. What an age," she added, with the caricature of a sigh. "But come on, Judge, you

said Howard, "and I couldn't

d not forgotten it. And yet," she added,

xio

e past few days my love for you has taken so-s

at, Flo

me afraid now. You know that there are

cause it has not. But it is only a reproachful fancy. We see the sorrow of others an

g to him. "Do I look

know-I ca

't s

they say is blind

rence, it would make a bat of me. You are ser

room. "Yes, I am, and I must go in there to be pleased.

ver known what it was to live without you, and I cou

d it has passed. But I wonder where such shadows come

om the passage, smoking his pipe, his thin hair rumpled as if he had just emer

ward, I thought y

back with a smile. "Don't you

on't have it, either. Your daddy's got it in for me lately, and I'll be hanged if I'm going to put up with it much longer. And Florence, you'd better spea

" she answered. "And

in whether it was on the tenth or the eleventh; I was

ht, Uncle Willi

don't belong to the plot of this household, anyway. I'm only a side issue." Howard a

You are a what, Uncle Willi

a side

t's

enough to know, I haven't

get that pipe,

ocky Mountains," s

e about the time the mo

p the tail end of an entire evening of insult by

g for something. "I left my knife here, somewhere," said he. "Must have a little more light." He turned up the gas drop light o

"It may be to your advantage to have it dark, but I like to see. I haven't always lived in

dney, "but how long do you e

tention to me. I don'

odney exclaime

household-the general p

I see," sa

just a minute. The Judge an

rious one

was not exactly certain whether it was on the tenth or the ele

nth of

n sat down, crossed his legs, took a few puffs at his pipe, preliminaries to a long recital; but the young fellow, standing near,

care anythi

ha

't care anyth

titude." Bodney strode out, and the old man shouted after him, "I wouldn't tell you that story to save your life." Laughter came from the drawing room. William grunted contemptuously. "There's John telling his yarns. An

light. Then he went to the door and beckoned. Goyle, disguised as Howard, walked in with insolent coolness. In Bodney's room he had dressed himself, posing before the glass, arranging his bronze beard, clipping here and there, touching up his features with paint-and Bodney had stood by, dumb with as

shoot you," Bo

fail. Don't I

would dece

ought to be willing to die for his a

's high

rned up the light. "That's better.

position at the safe. "Wolf, I want to acknowl

Taken for gran

ice of Bodney. "It won't take long. I want you to help me-" The door swung. Goyle pulled open the drawer, and then followed three sharp strokes of the gong, just as loud laughter burst from the drawing room. Goyle jumped back. The Judge rushed in, with Bodney clinging to him. Goyle turned as if

o turn the kn