your days; you'll own him body and soul."

"A ignorant man like me couldn't go up against a sharp lawyer like Marsh
Langham! Do you know what'd happen to me? I'll tell you; I'd get so
damned well fixed I'd never look at daylight except through jail
windows; that's the trick I'd serve myself, boss."

"I'll take that off your hands," said Gilmore.

"And what do you get out of it, boss?" inquired the astute Mr.
Montgomery.

"You'll have to put your trust in my benevolence, Joe!" said the
gambler. "But I am willing to admit I want to see North put where he'll
have every inducement to attend strictly to his own business!"




CHAPTER NINE

THE STAR WITNESS


It was between nine and ten o'clock when Marshall Langham reached his
office. He scarcely had time to remove his hat and overcoat when a
policeman entered the room and handed him a note. It was a hasty scrawl
from Moxlow who wished him to come at once to the court-house.

As Moxlow's messenger quitted the room Langham leaned against his desk