do you? Thought not. Without there! Ho,
varlet!" He thumped on the table, demanding writing materials. "I'll
fix you out. Give you a letter to a firm of mining experts I'm in
touch with."

After an interval devoted to refreshments, the Judge read with all the
pride of authorship:

Messrs. Atwood, Strange & Atwood, 25 Broad Street, New York City.

_Gentlemen_:

This will introduce to you Mr. Stephen Thompson, of Dundee, New
Mexico. You will kindly consider yourself _in loco parentis_ to him,
charging same to my account.

On presentation of this letter, please pay Mr. Thompson's fine or
go his bail, as the case may be, furnish him with pocket-money and a
ticket home, and see him safely on the right train.

Should the matter be more serious, wire me at once. Periodical
insanity can be readily proved. He has just recovered from a paroxysm
at this writing. He is subject to these attacks whenever his wishes
are crossed, having been raised a pet. Therefore, you will be doing
yourself a great favor by acceding to any request he may make, however
unreasonable it may seem. It is unlucky to oppose or thwart him;
but he is amenable to kindness. Kindly apprize municipal and Federal
authorities for the preservation of public safety. Your loss is our
eternal gain.

* * * * *

During the ensuing applause he signed this production. Steve pocketed
it gravely. "Thank you," he said. "When I get down to husks I'll look
up my locoed parent."

"The Bird of Time," said the Transient vociferously, "hash but a
little way to flutter. Cash in! The bird ish on the wing! Tomorro'sh
tangle to the winds reshign. Come, all ye midnight roish-roishterers!
A few more kindly cupsh for Auld Lang Shine. Then let ush eshcort
thish highwayman to the gatesh of the city and cash him forth to outer
darknesh! Let ush shing!

_I stood on a flush at midnight_,
_When my money was nearly gone_,
_And two moonsh rosh over the city_
_Where there shouldn't have been but one_."

* * * * *

In Ohio, one of rough appearance, clad in a fire-new, ready-made suit,
began to pervade Thompson's car; restlessly rushing from one side to
the other in conscientious effort to see all there was to be seen;
finally taking to the vestibule as affording better conveniences for
observations. He was, however, not so absorbed in the scenery but that
he took sharp note of the cowboy's unsoph