o the bar. Sharpman, who was sitting inside the
railing by a table, looked up with disgust plainly marked on his face
as the old man entered and sat down beside him.

He had prepared the petition for a writ of _habeas corpus_, at Craft's
request, and had agreed to appear in his behalf when the writ should
be returned. He shared, in some small degree, the old man's desire for
revenge on those who had been instrumental in destroying their scheme.
But, as the day wore on, the matter took on a slightly different
aspect in his mind. In the first place, he doubted whether the court
would order Ralph to be returned into Craft's custody. In the next
place, he had no love for his client. He had been using him simply
as a tool; it was time now to cast him aside since he could be of no
further benefit to him. Besides, the old man had come to be annoying
and repulsive, and he had no money to pay for legal services. Then,
there was still an opportunity to recover some of the personal
prestige he had lost in his bitter advocacy of Craft's cause before
the jury. In short, he had deliberately resolved to desert his client
at the first opportunity.

The sheriff endorsed his return on the writ and filed it.

The judge looked at the papers, and then he called Bachelor Billy
before him. "I see," he said, "that you have produced the body of the
boy Ralph as you were directed to do. Have you a lawyer?"

"I ha' none," answered the man. "I did na ken as I needit ony."

"We do not think you do, either, as we understand the case. The
prothonotary will endorse a simple return on the writ, setting forth
the production of the boy, and you may sign it. We think that is all
that will be necessary on your part. Now you may be seated."

The judge turned to Sharpman.

"Well, Mr. Sharpman," he said, "what have you to offer on the part of
your client?"

Sharpman arose. "If the court please," he responded, "I would
respectfully ask to be allowed, at this juncture, to withdraw from
the case. I prepared and presented the petition as a matter of duty
to a client. I do not conceive it to be my duty to render any further
assistance. That client, either through ignorance or deception, has
been the means of placing me in a false and unenviable light before
the court and before this community, in the suit which has just
closed. I have neither the desire nor the opportunity to set myself
right in that matter, but I do wish and I have fully determined to
w