ered the caller. "I tell you politics is a matter of
a-gittin' plenty while you're gittin'."

"I was not speaking of politics, but of corruption."

"What's the difference?" cynically. "Now, I say that Judge Latimer can
be influenced."

"Indeed!"

"I'm thinking that it would be safe to approach him in this case of
Bob's."

"Are you going to try it?" Danvers' tone continued impersonal.

The Honorable William Moore hurried on. He breathed as one having put
forth more strength than was required--breathed as he had breathed when
the detachment of Mounted Police rode up to the small trading-post where
he had barely succeeded in concealing his smuggled whiskey. He laughed
a little, threw his cigar away and put his thumbs firmly together with
fingers clasped--a familiar mannerism.

"See here, Danvers! This case mustn't go against Burroughs. Bob's a good
fellow. He did what any one else would have done. He wasn't looking out
for Joe Hall. He did all the head-work, and at the time Joe was
satisfied with the price. Of course you know that Bob's going to run for
United States Senator next winter. And he's not over popular in Montana;
you know how it is, moneyed interest against labor (so the common herd
think), and this case has made more talk than everything else put
together that Bob ever did."

"Well?" Philip's eyes had a gleam that Moore did not care to meet.
Perhaps he had been too confidential. He walked about the room,
nervously, his right hand grasping the rear of his coat. At last he
forced himself to say bluntly:

"If you'll go to Judge Latimer and tell him how you feel--that Burroughs
is your brother-in-law--that sort of talk, and that if the case goes
against Bob, Latimer'll never get re-elected to the supreme bench--oh,
you know what to say. Anyway, if you'll do this you'll be twenty-five
thousand dollars better off--that's all; and I tell you, you'll need the
money before next winter is over if this drouth continues. Your cattle
must be in bad shape now. Just tell Latimer how you feel."

"How do you know how I feel about this case?" Danvers kept himself well
under control, though he felt his blood pounding.

"It isn't so much what you feel as what you say."

Philip looked at the man.

"You haven't got the money, Bill."

"Haven't I?" boasted Moore. "Look at this!" He made a quick dive inside
his coat. "Three packages of twenty-five thousand each!" He exulted as
he displayed the bills. "They were hande