eyes, from his book; but this
time he volunteered no comment.

In the police court on the following morning both Boone and his
arresting officer were presented, as defendants, and the officer's case
was called first on the docket. Taking the stand in his own defence, the
officer glibly testified that he had struck General Prince, of whose
identity he had been unfortunately ignorant, because that gentleman had
seemed to make a motion toward his hip pocket, but that he had, under
much goading, refrained from striking Morgan Wallifarro.

"Why," purred the shyster who defended him, "did you so govern your
temper under serious provocation?" And the unctuous reply was promptly
and virtuously forthcoming: "Because police officers are ordered not to
use no more force than what they have to."

General Prince smiled quietly, but Morgan fidgeted in his chair.

The police judge cleared his throat. "It appears obvious to the Court,"
he ruled, "that a man of General Prince's high character did not intend
to threaten or hamper an officer in the proper performance of his sworn
duty. But these gentlemen in the heat and passion of political fervour
seem to have assumed--unintentionally, perhaps--a somewhat high-handed
and domineering attitude. It would be manifestly unjust to exact of a
mere patrolman a superior temperateness of judgment. Let the case be
dismissed."

But when Boone was called to the dock, the magistrate eyed him severely
not through, but over, his glasses, putting into that silent scrutiny
the stern disapproval of a man looking down his nose.

"I find three charges against this defendant," he announced. "The first
is shooting and wounding; the second, carrying concealed a deadly
weapon, and the third, interference with an officer in the discharge of
his duty."

The wounding of the flying squadron's leader was a matter for the
future, since the victim of the bullet lay in a hospital, and that case
had already been continued under a heavy bond. After hearing the
evidence on the other accusations, the judge again cleared his throat.

"The 'pistol-toter' is a constant menace to the peace of the community,
and there seems to be no doubt of guilt in the present case--but since
the defendant has recently come from a section of the State which
condones that offence, the Court is inclined to be lenient. The
resistance to the officer was also a grave and inexcusable matter, but
because of the character testimony given by