who, for some _honest_ purpose, are induced upon
false and fraudulent representations to give credit or part with
their property to another, and not to protect those who, for
_unworthy_ or illegal purposes, part with their goods."

"Why, Quib," quoth Gottlieb, "you are the discoverer of a new legal
principle. You will inaugurate a new field of human activity.
Generations yet unborn will profit by your ingenuity. From now on
every rascal in the land will set his wits to work trying to bring
his schemes within the scope of this beneficent opinion."

"Indeed," I replied, "however fine it may be for McDuff, I can
easily see that I have unloosed as many troubles as ever flew out
of Pandora's Box."

"Yes--but to our profit," he retorted, with a grin. "Don't forget
that. The inventors will all come flocking straight to us to get
them out of their difficulties--you may be sure of it!"

"'Tis extraordinary," I said, "what a multitude of opportunities
this new principle enunciated by the Court of Appeals affords to
a man of an inventive turn of mind. As I take it, all one has to
do is to induce another man to part with his money in the belief
that he is going to take a sharp advantage of some one else. For
example, let us suppose that I go to some person and falsely tell
him that I have a client serving a term in Sing Sing for burglary
who has confided to me the whereabouts of the secret hiding-place
of his loot. All that is necessary is some one to put up sufficient
money to cover the expense of transportation and excavation--and
it can be divided between us. For this purpose he intrusts me with
several hundred dollars, with which I make off. I have stolen the
money fast enough, but I can never be punished for it."

"Exactly!" exclaimed my partner. "And here is another idea that
is well calculated to appeal to almost anybody. It has just occurred
to me quite involuntarily while you were speaking. Many of our
clients want to know if they cannot send the judge, who is trying
the case, a present of some sort, or maybe loan him a little money;
and it is always distressing to be obliged to tell them--usually--
that it is quite out of the question; that it would only get them
into trouble. Of course, occasionally we let them send the judge
a box of cigars, _but always with the compliments of our adversary
--never our own_. Now this shows how readily persons who are mixed
up in lawsuits or other difficulties would