ur honor, the man assaulted her and assaulted me," began Burke.

"She doesn't count. That's the pity of it, poor thing. I'll hold him
over to General Sessions for a criminal trial on assaulting you."

In the back of the room a stout man in a fur overcoat arose.

It was Shultberger. He came down the aisle.

As he did so, unnoticed by Officer 4434, three of Shultberger's
companions arose and quietly left the courtroom by the front entrance.

"Oxcuse me, Chudge, but may I offer bail for my friend, little Jimmie?"

He had some papers in his hand, for this was what might be called a
by-product of his saloon business; Shultberger was always ready for the
assistance of his clients.

The magistrate looked sharply at him. "Down here again, eh? I'd think
those deeds and that old brick house would be worn out by this time,
Shultberger, from the frequency with which you juggle it against the
liberty of your friends."

"It's a fine house, Chudge, and was assessed."

"Yes--go file your papers," snapped the magistrate. "You can report
back to your station house, officer. There is no charge against this
girl--she is merely held as material witness. She'll never testify.
She's discharged. Take my advice, Burke, and play safe with these
gun-men. You're in a neighborhood which needs good precaution as well
as good intentions. Good night."

The magistrate rose, declaring a recess for one hour, and Officer 4434
left the court through the police entrance.

As he turned the corner of the old Court building, he repeated to
himself the question which had forced itself so strongly upon him: "Who
is to blame? Who has to pay? The men or the women?"

Again he saw, mentally, the sobbing, drunken Irish woman with the two
daughters who had no home life. He saw the brutal Joe, and his
fainting wife as he cast the horrible words "not straight" into her
soul. He saw that the answer to his question, and the shallow society
youngsters, who had left the courtroom to see "real life" at Rector's,
were not disconnected from that answer.

But he did not see a dark form behind a stone buttress at the corner of
the old building. He did not see a brick which came hurtling through
the air from behind him.

He merely fell forward, mutely--with a fractured skull!

CHAPTER II

WHEN LOVE COMES VISITING

It was a very weak young man who sojourned for the next few weeks in
the hospital, hovering so near the shadow of the Eternal