answer the complaint of the People Versus Carter Watson, for
the latter's assault and battery on one Patsy Horan. But first, the
Prosecuting Attorney, who was paid to prosecute all offenders against
the People, drew him aside and talked with him privately.

"Why not let it drop!" said the Prosecuting Attorney. "I tell you what
you do, Mr. Watson: Shake hands with Mr. Horan and make it up, and we'll
drop the case right here. A word to the Judge, and the case against you
will be dismissed."

"But I don't want it dismissed," was the answer. "Your office being what
it is, you should be prosecuting me instead of asking me to make up with
this--this fellow."

"Oh, I'll prosecute you all right," retorted the Prosecuting Attorney.

"Also you will have to prosecute this Patsy Horan," Watson advised; "for
I shall now have him arrested for assault and battery."

"You'd better shake and make up," the Prosecuting Attorney repeated, and
this time there was almost a threat in his voice.

The trials of both men were set for a week later, on the same morning,
in Police Judge Witberg's court.

"You have no chance," Watson was told by an old friend of his boyhood,
the retired manager of the biggest paper in the city. "Everybody knows
you were beaten up by this man. His reputation is most unsavory. But it
won't help you in the least. Both cases will be dismissed. This will be
because you are you. Any ordinary man would be convicted."

"But I do not understand," objected the perplexed sociologist. "Without
warning I was attacked by this man; and badly beaten. I did not strike a
blow. I--"

"That has nothing to do with it," the other cut him off.

"Then what is there that has anything to do with it?"

"I'll tell you. You are now up against the local police and political
machine. Who are you? You are not even a legal resident in this town.
You live up in the country. You haven't a vote of your own here. Much
less do you swing any votes. This dive proprietor swings a string of
votes in his precincts--a mighty long string."

"Do you mean to tell me that this Judge Witberg will violate the
sacredness of his office and oath by letting this brute off?" Watson
demanded.

"Watch him," was the grim reply. "Oh, he'll do it nicely enough. He will
give an extra-legal, extra-judicial decision, abounding in every word in
the dictionary that stands for fairness and right."

"But there are the newspapers," Watson cried.

"They are not fig