The assistant took the paper in trembling fingers and perused
it as well as he could in his unnerved condition.

"Mr. District Attorney," remarked the presiding justice dryly
(which did not lessen the confusion of the young lawyer), "is
this a fact? Has the defendant a license?"

"Yes, your Honors," replied the assistant; "this paper seems
to be a license."

"Defendant discharged!" remarked the court briefly.

The prisoner stepped from the bar and rapidly disappeared
though the door of the court-room. After enough time had
elapsed to give him a good start and while another case was
being called, the old lawyer leaned over to the assistant and
remarked with a chuckle

"I am always glad to give the boys a chance--help 'em along
--teach 'em a little. That license was a beer license!"


BEFORE TRIAL

To begin at the beginning, whenever a person has been
arrested, charged with crime, and has secured a criminal
lawyer to defend him, the first move of the latter is
naturally to try and nip the case in the bud by inducing the
complaining witness to abandon the prosecution. In a vast
number of cases he is successful. He appeals to the charity