oss the threshold, took his stand in front of the
window outside.

"Howdy," remarked Gottlieb, without arising or removing his cigar.
"Mike tells me you're charged with obtaining money by false
pretences."

"What!" gasped Toby, grasping the table for support. "False
pretences!"

"Flying a bit of bad paper, eh? Come now, didn't you cash a check
on the Cotton Exchange Bank for about six hundred dollars when
there was only fifteen on deposit? Don't try to bluff me. I know
your sort. Lucky if you don't get ten years."

"Save me!" wailed Toby. "Yes, I did cash a check, come to think
of it, for that amount, but I had no idea my account had run so
low."

Mr. Gottlieb spat into a sawdust box under the table and winked
with great deliberation.

"How much have you got left?" he inquired indifferently.

Tony delved into his breeches and with trembling hands produced a
roll of bills still of some dignity. Gottlieb stretched forth a
claw, took them, placed them in his own pocket, and then swung his
feet to the floor with alacrity.

"Come on, my lads," he exclaimed, "and I'll show you how we get
the sinners off! All right, Mike." And he led the way across the
street and into the station-house, where poor Toby was searched
and his pedigree taken down by the clerk. It being at this time
only about eleven in the morning we were then conducted to the
nearest police court, where we found in attendance the unfortunate
hotel keeper who had so unwisely honored Toby's check.

"You rascal!" he shouted, struggling to reach my unfortunate friend.
"I'll show you how to take other people's money! I'll put you
where you belong!" But the officers haled him back and he was
forced to restrain himself until the could tell his story to the
judge. This, it so happened, was not to be for several hours, and
during this interval Gottlieb mysteriously vanished and as mysteriously
reappeared. It was half after three before the judge announced
that he would take up Toby's case. Now, the judge looked even more
of a rascal than did Gottlieb, which was paying his Honor a high
compliment, and I suspect that it was for this reason that the
complainant had in the meantime sent round for his own lawyer to
represent him. We were now pushed forward and huddled into a small
space in front of the rail, while the lawyers took their places
upon the platform before us.

"Your Honor," began the lawyer for the hotel man, "this fellow here
has s