te office, and finally to be told
that the District Attorney had gone to lunch, and would not return that
day. The man who told him this grinned, and evidently considered it a
good joke, nor had Peter been unconscious that all the morning the
clerks and underlings had been laughing, and guying him as he waited.
Yet his jaw was only set the more rigidly, as he left the office.

He looked up the private address of the officer in the directory, and
went to see him that evening. He was wise enough not to send in his
name, and Mr. Nelson actually came into the hall to see him.

The moment he saw Peter, however, he said: "Oh, it's you. Well, I never
talk business except in business hours."

"I have tried to see you--" began Peter.

"Try some more," interrupted the man, smiling, and going toward the
parlor.

Peter followed him, calmly. "Mr. Nelson," he said, "do you intend to
push that case?"

"Of course," smiled Nelson. "After I've finished four hundred
indictments that precede it."

"Not till then?"

"No."

"Mr. Nelson, can't you overlook politics for a moment, and think of--"

"Who said anything of politics?" interrupted Nelson, "I merely tell you
there are indictments which have been in my office for five years and
are yet to be tried, and that your case is going to take its turn."
Nelson passed into the back room, leaving his caller alone.

Peter left the room, and passed out of the front door, just as a man was
about to ring the bell.

"Is Mr. Nelson in?" asked the man.

"I have just left him, Mr. Dummer," said Peter.

"Ah! Good-evening, Mr. Stirling. I think I can guess your business.
Well. How do you come on?" Dummer was obviously laughing internally.

Peter started down the steps without answering.

"Perhaps I can help you?" said Dummer. "I know Mr. Nelson very well in
politics, and so does Mr. Bohlmann. If you'll tell me what you are
after, I'll try to say a good word for you?"

"I don't need your help, thank you," said Peter calmly.

"Good," said Dummer. "You think a briefless lawyer of thirty can go it
alone, do you, even against the whole city government?"

"I know I have not influence enough to get that case pushed, Mr. Dummer,
but the law is on my side, and I'm not going to give up yet."

"Well, what are you going to do about it?" said Dummer, sneeringly.

"Fight," said Peter, walking away.

He went back to his office, and sitting at his desk, wrote a formal
letter to the District Att