ft, and
continued: "Then I hope, my dear sir, that, having thoroughly mastered
the case, you are inclined to be favorable to us?"

The gentleman in the bed did not reply, but apparently nestled more
closely beneath the coverlids.

"I have brought the shares I spoke of," continued Mr. Wiles,
insinuatingly.

"Hev you a friend within call?" interrupted the recumbent man gently.

"I don't quite understand!" smiled Mr. Wiles. "Of course any name you
might suggest--"

"Hev you a friend, any chap that you might waltz in here at a moment's
call?" continued the man in bed. "No? Do you know any of them waiters
in the house? Thar's a bell over yan!" and he motioned with his eyes
towards the wall, but did not otherwise move his body.

"No," said Wiles, becoming slightly suspicious and wrathful.

"Mebbe a stranger might do? I reckon thar's one passin' in the hall.
Call him in,--he'll do!"

Wiles opened the door a little impatiently, yet inquisitively, as
Dobbs passed. The man in bed called out, "Oh, stranger!" and, as Dobbs
stopped, said, "Come yar."

Dobbs entered a little timidly, as was his habit with strangers.

"I don't know who you be--nor care, I reckon," said the stranger. "This
yer man"--pointing to Wiles--"is Wiles. I'm Josh Sibblee of Fresno,
Member of Congress from the 4th Congressional District of Californy.
I'm jist lying here, with a derringer into each hand,--jist lying here
kivered up and holdin' in on'y to keep from blowin' the top o' this
d----d skunk's head off. I kinder feel I can't hold in any longer. What
I want to say to ye, stranger, is that this yer skunk--which his name
is Wiles--hez bin tryin' his d--dest to get a bribe onto Josh, and Josh,
outo respect for his constituents, is jist waitin' for some stranger to
waltz in and stop the d--dest fight--"

"But, my dear Mr. Sibblee, there must be some mistake," said Wiles
earnestly.

"Mistake? Strip me!"

"No! No!" said Wiles, hurriedly, as the simple-minded Dobbs was about to
draw down the coverlid.

"Take him away," said the Hon. Mr. Sibblee, "before I disgrace my
constituency. They said I'd be in jail afore I get through the session.
Ef you've got any humanity, stranger, snake him out, and pow'ful quick,
too."

Dobbs, quite white and aghast, looked at Wiles and hesitated. There was
a slight movement in the bed. Both men started for the door; and the
next minute it closed very decidedly on the member from Fresno.

CHAPTER XI

HOW IT