nderstand you that Mr. Rood lived
at the gambling-hall?"

No, the man said, but he had rooms upstairs which he often used. After
Mr. Rood had retired he had himself gone to his own room, which was
also up-stairs, but in the back of the house. He was not yet asleep
when he heard the bell at the side door ring. "And then," the Mexican
said, "I went to Mr. Rood's door and asked if I should go down-stairs.
Mr. Rood said, 'No,' and then he said, 'Curse him, no, I won't let him
in.' But after the bell had rung three times more, he called me and
said, 'Go down, Manuel, let him in. I will come down in a few minutes.'

"After that I went down and let in Mr. Montgomery."

"One moment, Mr. Gora." The lawyer who was standing had raised his
hand. "Was there anything in Mr. Rood's manner which led you to
suppose he had feared a visit from Mr. Montgomery?"

The man who had been sitting next the prisoner was on his feet.
"Object, your Honor, to the form of the question, as being--" He
mumbled the rest, I couldn't get a word of it.

The judge brought his eyes down from the ceiling, looked at the big man
who was calling out to him; then said in a conversational voice:
"Objection sustained." Then looking at the other man, "Change the form
of the question."

"Father," I whispered, "that man who just now objected, isn't he Mr.
Jackson? Hasn't he been at the house to dinner?"

"Yes, and one of the best lawyers in the city; but he is defending
Montgomery, I am sorry!"

"Did Mr. Rood," the first lawyer began again, "show surprise when you
told him there was some one at the door?"

"No, sir." The man hesitated. "He was angry."

Mr. Dingley's lawyer looked triumphantly at the lawyer for the defense;
then he again turned to the witness. "Had you ever seen the person you
let in before?"

"Very often. He came a great deal to play."

"Can you point him out?"

The Mexican peered at the crowd. "He is sitting the third from the end
at that table."

There was a sigh that seemed to come from the whole court room. I
tried to get a glimpse of Johnny Montgomery's face, but too many people
were standing up, and moving chairs, and when the flutter subsided a
little I was able to catch the witness' voice going on.

"Then I brought them some drinks, and Mr. Rood told me to go to bed.
They were left alone down there when I had gone up-stairs. I went to
sleep. I was waked up in the very early morning by quarreling voices,
and