dy connected with this
proceeding has furnished a material witness for the defense with a
ticket for Chicago and one thousand rubles as a bribe to stay away from
the hearing."

Counsel for the complainant jumped to his feet.

"This is preposterous!" he declared.

"By no means," Feldman continued. "Will you direct counsel not to
interrupt me, sir, if you please?"

"I so direct," the commissioner replied, whereat Feldman again cleared
his throat and coughed twice, and, in answer to this cue, Yosel Levin,
alias Joseph Harkavy, entered the room.

"The person so bribed, Mr. Commissioner, is named in the petition as the
_corpus delicti_ of the crime alleged to have been committed," Feldman
said.

"What!" Munjoy and opposing counsel cried in unison, and the clerk to
the consulate reached for his hat and started for the door. His counsel
leaped after him, however, and succeeded in catching his coat-tails just
as he was about to disappear into the hall.

With one hand still grasping the consular clerk, counsel for the
complainant turned to the commissioner.

"I think my client wants to consult me outside for one minute," he said.
"Have I your consent to withdraw?"

The commissioner nodded and Munjoy turned to Feldman.

"What the deuce are you trying to do, Feldman?" he asked as
complainant's counsel returned.

"If the commissioner pleases," Feldman said, "we consent to a dismissal
of the extradition proceedings and to a discharge of the prisoner."

The imperturbable commissioner bowed and rose to his feet.

"Submit the necessary papers for the prisoner's discharge, gentlemen,"
he said. "The hearing is closed."

* * * * *

"Five dollars for doing what that feller done is like picking it up in
the street, Mawruss!" Abe declared to Mawruss when they received the
doctor's bill a month later.

"How could we be small about it, Abe?" Morris rejoined. "Look at what
Steuermann done! Not only he is paying his lawyers for getting this
Kovalenko out of prison but he is taking that young feller and paying
for him he should go on with his studying for a doctor."

"Well, the way doctors soak you, Mawruss," Abe said, looking at the bill
which he held in his hand, "it wouldn't be long before Kovalenko pays
him back with interest, I bet yer."

"But, anyhow, Abe," Morris continued, "now we got Yosel Levin working
for us as cutter, it would be a better feeling all around supposing we
pay the bi