ose life savings Ketchim had drawn into
his net by the lure of pious benedictions, but rather those
unfortunates who had chanced to incur the malicious hatred of the
great, legalized malefactor, Ames, by opposition to his selfish
caprice, and whose utter defeat and discrediting before the public
would now place the crown of righteous expediency upon his own
chicanery and extortion and his wantonly murderous deeds.

The prosecution scored from the beginning. Doctor Jurges, utterly
confused by the keen lawyers, and vainly endeavoring to follow the
dictates of his conscience, while attempting to reconcile them with
his many talks with Darius Borwell, gave testimony which fell little
short of incriminating himself. For there were produced letters which
he had written to members of his congregation, and which for subtlety
and deception, though doubtless innocently done, would have made a
seasoned promoter look sharp to his own laurels.

Then Harris was called. He had been summoned from Denver for the
trial. But his stuttering evidence gave no advantage to either side.
And then--crowning blunder!--Cass permitted Ketchim himself to take
the stand. And the frightened, trembling broker gave his own cause
such a blow that the prosecution might well have asked the judge to
take the case from the jury then and there. It was a legal _faux pas_;
and Cass walked the floor and moaned the whole night through.

Then, as per program, the prosecution called Madam Beaubien. Could not
that sorrowing woman have given testimony which would have aided the
tottering defense, and unmasked the evil genius which presided over
this mock trial? Ah, yes, in abundance! But not one point would the
judge sustain when it bordered upon forbidden territory. It was made
plain to her that she was there to testify against Ketchim, and to
permit the Ames lawyers to bandy her own name about the court room
upon the sharp points of their cruel cross-questions and low
insinuations.

But, she protested, her knowledge of the Simiti company's affairs had
come through another person.

And who might that be?

Mr. J. Wilton Ames.

Ah! But Mr. Ames should give his own testimony--for was it not he who
had, not long since, legally punished the witness on a charge of
defamation of character? The witness was dismissed. And the spectators
knew that it was because the righteous prosecution could no longer
stain its hands with one who bore such a tarnished name as she.