And　thus　was　Sol　Witberg　given　a　liberal　education　in　the　art
  of　perjury。　Often；　from　his　high　seat；　he　had　listened
  indulgently　to　police　court　perjuries　in　cooked…up　cases；　but
  for　the　first　time　perjury　was　directed　against　him；　and　he　no
  longer　sat　above　the　court；　with　the　bailiffs；　the　Policemen's
  clubs；　and　the　prison　cells　behind　him。
  〃Your　Honor；〃　he　cried；　〃never　have　I　heard　such　a　pack　of　lies
  told　by　so　bare…faced　a　liar！'
  Watson　here　sprang　to　his　feet。
  〃Your　Honor；　I　protest。　It　is　for　your　Honor　to　decide　truth　or
  falsehood。　The　witness　is　on　the　stand　to　testify　to　actual
  events　that　have　transpired。　His　personal　opinion　upon　things
  in　general；　and　upon　me；　has　no　bearing　on　the　case　whatever。〃
  The　Justice　scratched　his　head　and　waxed　phlegmatically
  indignant。
  〃The　point　is　well　taken；〃　he　decided。　〃I　am　surprised　at　you；
  Mr。　Witberg；　claiming　to　be　a　judge　and　skilled　in　the　practice
  of　the　law；　and　yet　being　guilty　of　such　unlawyerlike　conduct。
  Your　manner；　sir；　and　your　methods；　remind　me　of　a　shyster。
  This　is　a　simple　case　of　assault　and　battery。　We　are　here　to
  determine　who　struck　the　first　blow；　and　we　are　not　interested
  in　your　estimates　of　Mr。　Watson's　personal　character。　Proceed
  with　your　story。〃
  Sol　Witberg　would　have　bitten　his　bruised　and　swollen　lip　in
  chagrin；　had　it　not　hurt　so　much。　But　he　contained　himself　and
  told　a　simple；　straightforward；　truthful　story。
  〃Your　Honor；〃　Watson　said；　〃I　would　suggest　that　you　ask　him
  what　he　was　doing　on　my　premises。〃
  〃A　very　good　question。　What　were　you　doing；　sir；　on　Mr。
  Watson's　premises？〃
  〃I　did　not　know　they　were　his　premises。〃
  〃It　was　a　trespass；　your　Honor；〃　Watson　cried。　〃The　warnings
  are　posted　conspicuously。〃
  〃I　saw　no　warnings；〃　said　Sol　Witberg。
  〃I　have　seen　them　myself；〃　snapped　the　Justice。　〃They　are　very
  conspicuous。　And　I　would　warn　you；　sir；　that　if　you　palter　with
  the　truth　in　such　little　matters　you　may　darken　your　more
  important　statements　with　suspicion。　Why　did　you　strike　Mr。
  Watson？〃
  〃Your　Honor；　as　I　have　testified；　I　did　not　strike　a　blow。〃
  The　Justice　looked　at　Carter　Watson's　bruised　and　swollen
  visage；　and　turned　to　glare　at　Sol　Witberg。
  〃Look　at　that　man's　cheek！〃　he　thundered。　〃If　you　did　not
  strike　a　blow　how　comes　it　that　he　is　so　disfigured　and
  injured？〃
  〃As　I　testified〃
  〃Be　careful；〃　the　Justice　warned。
  〃I　will　be　careful；　sir。　I　will　say　nothing　but　the　truth。　He
  struck　himself　with　a　rock。　He　struck　himself　with　two
  different　rocks。〃
  〃Does　it　stand　to　reason　that　a　man；　any　man　not　a　lunatic；
  would　so　injure　himself；　and　continue　to　injure　himself；　by
  striking　the　soft　and　sensitive　parts　of　his　face　with　a
  stone？〃　Carter　Watson　demanded
  〃It　sounds　like　a　fairy　story；〃　was　the　Justice's　comment。
  〃Mr。　Witberg；　had　you　been　drinking？〃
  〃No；　sir。〃
  〃Do　you　never　drink？〃
  〃On　occasion。〃
  The　Justice　meditated　on　this　answer　with　an　air　of　astute
  profundity。
  Watson　took　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　wink　at　Sol
  Witberg；　but　that　much…abused　gentleman　saw　nothing　humorous　in
  the　situation。
  〃A　very　peculiar　case；　a　very　peculiar　case；〃　the　Justice
  announced；　as　he　began　his　verdict。　〃The　evidence　of　the　two
  parties　is　flatly　contradictory。　There　are　no　witnesses　outside
  the　two　principals。　Each　claims　the　other　committed　the
  assault；　and　I　have　no　legal　way　of　determining　the　truth。　But
  I　have　my　private　opinion；　Mr。　Witberg；　and　I　would　recommend
  that　henceforth　you　keep　off　of　Mr。　Watson's　premises　and　keep
  away　from　this　section　of　the　country〃
  〃This　is　an　outrage！〃　Sol　Witberg　blurted　out。
  〃Sit　down；　sir！〃　was　the　Justice's　thundered　command。　〃If　you
  interrupt　the　Court　in　this　manner　again；　I　shall　fine　you　for
  contempt。　And　I　warn　you　I　shall　fine　you　heavilyyou；　a　judge
  yourself；　who　should　be　conversant　with　the　courtesy　and
  dignity　of　courts。　I　shall　now　give　my　verdict：
  〃It　is　a　rule　of　law　that　the　defendant　shall　be　given　the
  benefit　of　the　doubt。　As　I　have　said；　and　I　repeat；　there　is　no
  legal　way　for　me　to　determine　who　struck　the　first　blow。
  Therefore；　and　much　to　my　regret；〃here　he　paused　and　glared
  at　Sol　Witberg〃in　each　of　these　cases　I　am　compelled　to　give
  the　defendant　the　benefit　of　the　doubt。　Gentlemen；　you　are　both
  dismissed。〃
  〃Let　us　have　a　nip　on　it；〃　Watson　said　to　Witberg；　as　they　left
  the　courtroom；　but　that　outraged　person　refused　to　lock　arms
  and　amble　to　the　nearest　saloon。
  WINGED　BLACKMAIL
  PETER　WINN　lay　back　comfortably　in　a　library　chair；　with　closed
  eyes；　deep　in　the　cogitation　of　a　scheme　of　campaign　destined
  in　the　near　future　to　make　a　certain　coterie　of　hostile
  financiers　sit　up。　The　central　idea　had　come　to　him　the　night
  before；　and　he　was　now　reveling　in　the　planning　of　the　remoter；
  minor　details。　By　obtaining　control　of　a　certain　up…country
  bank；　two　general　stores；　and　several　logging　camps；　he　could
  come　into　control　of　a　certain　dinky　jerkwater　line　which　shall
  here　be　nameless；　but　which；　in　his　hands；　would　prove　the　key
  to　a　vastly　larger　situation　involving　more　main…line　mileage
  almost　than　there　were　spikes　in　the　aforesaid　dinky　jerkwater。
  It　was　so　simple　that　he　had　almost　laughed　aloud　when　it　came
  to　him。　No　wonder　those　astute　and　ancient　enemies　of　his　had
  passed　it　by。
  The　library　door　opened；　and　a　slender；　middle…aged　man；
  weak…eyed　and　eye　glassed；　entered。　In　his　hands　was　an
  envelope　and　an　open　letter。　As　Peter　Winn's　secretary　it　was
  his　task　to　weed　out；　sort；　and　classify　his　employer's　mail。
  〃This　came　in　the　morning　post；〃　he　ventured　apologetically　and
  with　the　hint　of　a　titter。　〃Of　course　it　doesn't　amount　to
  anything；　but　I　thought　you　would　like　to　see　it。〃
  〃Read　it；〃　Peter　Winn　commanded；　without　opening　his　eyes。
  The　secretary　cleared　his　throat。
  〃It　is　dated　July　seventeenth；　but　is　without　address。　Postmark
  San　Francisco。　It　is　also　quite　illiterate。　The　spelling　is
  atrocious。　Here　it　is：
  Mr。　Peter　Winn；
  SIR：　I　send　you　respectfully　by　express　a　pigeon　worth　good
  money。　She's　a　loo…loo〃
  〃What　is　a　loo…loo？〃　Peter　Winn　interrupted。
  The　secretary　tittered。
  〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；　except　that　it　must　be　a　superlative　of
  some　sort。　The　letter　continues：
  Please　freight　it　with　a　couple　of　thousand…dollar　bills　and
  let　it　go。　If　you　do　I　wont　never　annoy　you　no　more。　If　you
  dont　you　will　be　sorry。
  〃That　is　all。　It　is　unsigned。　I　thought　it　would　amuse　you。〃
  〃Has　the　pigeon　come？〃　Peter　Winn　demanded。
  〃I'm　sure　I　never　thought　to　enquire。〃
  〃Then　do　so。〃
  In　five　minutes　the　secretary　was　back。
  〃Yes；　sir。　It　came　this　morning。〃
  〃Then　bring　it　in。〃
  The　secretary　was　inclined　to　take　the　affair　as　a　practical
  joke；　but　Peter　Winn；　after　an　examination　of　the　pigeon；
  thought　otherwise。
  〃Look　at　it；〃　he　said；　stroking　and　handling　it。　〃See　the
  length　of　the　body　and　that　elongated　neck。　A　proper　carrier。　I
  doubt　if　I've　ever　seen　a　finer　specimen。　Powerfully　winged　and
  muscled。　As　our　unknown　correspondent　remarked；　she　is　a
  loo…loo。　It's　a　temptation　to　keep　her。〃
  The　secretary　tittered。
  〃Why　not？　Surely　you　will　not　let　it　go　back　to　the　writer　of
  that　letter。〃
  Peter　Winn　shook　his　head。
  〃I'll　answer。　No　man　can　threaten　me；　even　anonymously　or　in
  foolery。〃
  On　a　slip　of　paper　he　wrote　the　succinct　message；　〃Go　to　hell；〃
  signed　it；　and　placed　it　in　the　carrying　apparatus　with　which
  the　bird　had　been　thoughtfully　supplied。
  〃Now　we'll　let　her　loose。　Where's　my　son？　I'd　like　him　to　see
  the　flight。〃
  〃He's　down　in　the　workshop。　He　slept　there　last　night；　and　had
  his　breakfast　sent　down　this　morning。〃
  〃He'll　break　his　neck　yet；〃　Peter　Winn　remarked；　half…fiercely；
  half…proudly；　as　he　led　the　way　to　the　veranda。
  Standing　at　the　head　of　the　broad　steps；　he　tossed　the　pretty
  creature　outward　and　upward。　She　caught　herself　with　a　quick
  beat　of　wings；　fluttered　about　undecidedly　for　a　space；　then
  rose　in　the　air。
  Again；　high　up；　there　seemed　indecision；　then；　apparently
  getting　her　bearings；　she　headed　east；　over　the　oak…trees　that
  dotted　the　park…like　grounds。
  〃Beautiful；　beautiful；〃　Peter　Winn　murmured。　〃I　almost　wish　I
  had　her　back。〃
  But　Peter　Winn　was　a　very　busy　man；　with　such　large　plans　in
  his　head　and　with　so　many　reins　in　his　hands　that　he　quickly
  forgot　the　incident。　Three　nights　later　the　left　wing　of　his
  country　house　was　blown　up。　It　was　not　a　heavy　explosion；　and
  nobody　was　hurt；　though　the　wing　itself　was　ruined。　Most　of　the
  windows　of　the　rest　of　the　house　were　broken；　and　there　was　a
  deal　of　general　damage。　By　the　first　ferry　boat　of　the　morning
  half　a　dozen　San　Francisco　detectives　arrived；　and　several