oth. She got well at the sanitarium.
She's believed my promises and she's come all the way to San Francisco,
and was expecting me there when--when the bottom fell out of the whole
business. She's there now, she and her sister. They've got enough to pay
their expenses perhaps a month or so, and that's all. I can make a
living, I can get along and provide for her if you'll only give me a
chance. I know I deserve dismissal. That's all right; but for God's
sake, gentlemen, don't send me to Alcatraz--don't put me in jail, leave
me free to work. There's men in this territory that owe me nearly a
thousand dollars to-day. Let me gather that up and go to my
wife--I--I--She's a good woman, gentlemen--" and here the tears came
starting from the pleading culprit's eyes, and one or two sympathetic
souls about the rude tables sniffed suspiciously. "It ain't for me to
talk of such things. Perhaps you won't believe me, but--" and he
fingered the leaves of the blue-bound copy of the regulations that lay
to the left of the judge advocate's elbow, "I--I love that woman and I
want to care for her, and take good care of her. Look here," he
continued, as with sudden, impulsive movement he unbuttoned his
trim-fitting, single-breasted frock coat and displayed a snowy shirt
bosom on which sparkled and glistened a great diamond set in the style
much affected by the "sporting gent" of the day. "See this diamond. It
cost eleven hundred dollars in San Francisco six months ago; and here,
this solitaire," and he produced from an inner pocket an unquestionably
valuable ring and, with trembling hands, laid them upon the table in
front of the judge advocate; "and here," and he whipped from the
waistband of his trousers a massive and beautiful watch. "There are all
the valuables I have in the world. These I place in the hands of the
worthy officer and gentleman who has only done his duty in representing
the government through this long and painful trial. These I publicly
turn over to him with the request that he personally hand them to my
poor wife as soon as he reaches San Francisco as earnest of my intention
to lead an honest life and to care for her in the future. And now,
gentlemen, I've nothing to ask for myself--nothing but liberty to go and
work for her. I'm not fit to sit with such as you."

He finished and, quivering as with suppressed emotion, turned his back
upon the court, pressed his handkerchief to his streaming eyes and
groped his way to t