r case, isn't it?" said the magistrate, with the air
of a man who is being trifled with.

"No, your worship. There's not evidence enough to ask you to send the
prisoner to trial."

"Then I'd better sentence him myself."

"I think not, your worship. Our evidence only went to show that the
prisoner was in the employment of the men who started the company. But
we have no evidence that he was aware that the concern was fraudulent,
and as he does not appear to have appropriated any of the money, we
advise dismissing the case. The real offenders are in custody, and have
practically admitted their guilt."

The magistrate looked very ill-tempered and offended. He did not like
being told what he was told, especially by the police, and he had a
righteous horror of cases being withdrawn from his authority.

He held a snappish consultation with his clerk, which by no means tended
to pacify him, for that functionary whispered his opinion that as the
case had been withdrawn there was nothing for it but for his worship to
dismiss the case.

Somebody, at any rate, should smart for his injured feelings, and as he
did not know law enough to abuse Mr Sniff, and had not pretext
sufficient to abuse his clerk, he gathered himself for a castigation of
the prisoner, which should not only serve as a caution to that youth for
his future guidance, but should also relieve his own magisterial mind.

"Now, prisoner," began he, setting his spectacles and leaning forward in
his seat, "you've heard what the officer has said. You may consider
yourself fortunate--very fortunate--there is not enough evidence to
convict you. Don't flatter yourself that a breakdown in the prosecution
clears your character. In the eyes of the law you may be clear, but
morally, let me tell you, you are far from being so. It's affectation
to tell me you could live for three months the centre of a system of
fraud and yet have your hands clean. You must make good your account
between your own conscience and the hundreds of helpless, unfortunate
poor men and women you have been the means of depriving of their hard-
earned money. You have already been kept in prison for three days. Let
me hope that will be a warning to you not to meddle in future with
fraud, if you wish to pass as an honest man. If you touch pitch, sir,
you must expect to be denied. Return to paths of honesty, young man,
and seek to recover the character you have forfeited, and bear in mind
t