and　removed　the　dishes　and　cloth。　　Reeves　strewed　them
  table　with　excellent　cigars；　and　Plunkett；　with　the　others；
  lighted　one　of　these　with　evident　gratification。
  〃I　may　be　dull；〃　said　Morgan；　with　a　grin　and　a　wink
  at　Bridger；　〃but　I　want　to　know　if　I　am。　　Now；　I　say
  this　is　all　a　joke　of　Mr。　Plunkett's；　concocted　to　frighten。
  two　babes…in…the…woods。　　Is　this　Williamson　to　be　taken
  seriously　or　not？〃
  〃'Williams；'〃　corrected　Plunkett　gravely。　　〃I　never
  got　off　any　jokes　in　my　life。　　I　know　I　wouldn't　travel
  2；000　miles　to　get　off　a　poor　one　as　this　would　be　if　I
  didn't　take　Wade　Williams　back　with　me。　　Gentlemen！〃
  continued　the　sheriff；　now　letting　his　mild　eyes　travel
  impartially　from　one　of　the　company　to　another；　〃see　if
  you　can　find　any　joke　in　this　case。　　Wade　Williams　is
  listening　to　the　words　I　utter　now；　but　out　of　politeness；
  I　will　speak　of　him　as　a　third　person。　　For　five　years　he
  made　his　wife　lead　the　life　of　a　dog　　No；　I'll　take　that
  back。　　No　dog　in　Kentucky　was　ever　treated　as　she　was。
  He　spent　the　money　that　she　brought　him　　spent　it　at
  races；　at　the　card　table　and　on　horses　and　hunting。　　He
  was　a　good　fellow　to　his　friends；　but　a　cold；　sullen　demon
  at　home。　　He　wound　up　the　five　years　of　neglect　by　strik…
  ing　her　with　his　closed　hand　　a　hand　as　hard　as　a　stone
  when　she　was　ill　and　weak　from　suffering。　　She　died
  the　next　day；　and　he　skipped。　　That's　all　there　is　to　it。
  It's　enough。　　I　never　saw　Williams；　but　I　knew　his
  wife。　　I'm　not　a　man　to　tell　half。　　She　and　I　were　keep…
  ing　company　when　she　met　him。　　She　went　to　Louisville
  on　a　visit　and　saw　him　there。　　I'll　admit　that　he　spoilt
  my　chances　in　no　time。　　I　lived　then　on　the　edge　of　the
  Cumberland　mountains。　　I　was　elected　sheriff　of　Chatham
  County　a　year　after　Wade　Williams　killed　his　wife。　　My
  official　duty　sends　me　out　here　after　him；　but　I'll　admit
  that　there's　personal　feeling；　too。　　And　he's　going
  back　with　me。　　Mr。　　er　　Reeves；　will　you　pass　me　a
  match？
  〃Awfully　imprudent　of　Williams；〃　said　Morgan；　putting
  his　feet　up　against　the　wall；　〃to　strike　a　Kentucky　lady。
  Seems　to　me　I've　heard　they　were　scrappers。〃
  〃Bad；　bad　Williams；〃　said　Reeves；　pouring　out　more
  Scotch。〃
  The　two　men　spoke　lightly；　but　the　consul　saw　and
  felt　the　tension　and　the　carefulness　in　their　actions　and
  words。　　〃Good　old　fellows；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃they're
  both　all　right。　　Each　of　'em　is　standing　by　the　other　like
  a　little　brick　church。〃
  And　then　a　dog　walked　into　the　room　where　they　sat
  a　black…and…tan　hound；　long…eared；　lazy；　confident　of
  welcome。
  Plunkett　turned　his　head　and　looked　at　the　animal；
  which　halted；　confidently；　within　a　few　feet　of　his　chair。
  Suddenly　the　sheriff；　with　a　deep…mouthed　oath；　left
  his　seat　and；　bestowed　upon　the　dog　a　vicious　and　heavy
  kick；　with　his　ponderous　shoe。
  The　hound；　heartbroken；　astonished；　with　flapping
  ears　and　incurved　tail；　uttered　a　piercing　yelp　of　pain
  and　surprise。
  Reeves　and　the　consul　remained　in　their　chairs；　say…
  ing　nothing；　but　astonished　at　the　unexpected　show　of
  intolerance　from　the　easy…going…man　from　Chatham
  county。
  But　Morgan；　with　a　suddenly　purpling　face；　leaped；
  to　his　feet　and　raised　a　threatening　arm　above　the
  guest。
  〃You　　brute！〃　　he　shouted；　passionately；　〃why　did
  you　do　that？〃
  Quickly　the　amenities　returned；　Plunkett　muttered
  some　indistinct　apology　and　regained　his　seat。　　Morgan
  with　a　decided　effort　controlled　his　indignation　and　also
  returned　to　his　chair。
  And　then　Plunkett　with　the　spring　of　a　tiger；　leaped
  around　the　corner　of　the　table　and　snapped　handcuffs
  on　the　paralyzed　Morgan's　wrists。
  〃Hound…lover　and　woman…killer！〃　　he　cried；　〃get
  ready　to　meet　your　God。〃
  When　Bridger　had　finished　I　asked　him：
  〃Did　he　get　the　right　man？〃
  〃He　did；〃　said　the　Consul。
  〃And　how　did　he　know？〃　　I　inquired；　being　in　a　kind
  of　bewilderment。
  〃When　he　put　Morgan　in　the　dory；〃　answered　Bridger；
  〃the　next　day　to　take　him　aboard　the　Pajaro；　this　man
  Plunkett　stopped　to　shake　hands　with　me　and　I　asked
  him　the　same　question。〃
  〃'Mr。　Bridger；'　said　he；　'I'm　a　Kentuckian；　and　I've
  seen　a　great　deal　of　both　men　and　animals。　　And　I　never
  yet　saw　a　man　that　was　overfond　of　horses　and　dogs　but
  what　was　cruel　to　women。'〃
  THE　HYPOTHESES　OF　FAILURE
  LAWYER　GOOCH　bestowed　his　undivided　attention
  upon　the　engrossing　arts　of　his　profession。　　But　one
  flight　of　fancy　did　he　allow　his　mind　to　entertain。　　He
  was　fond　of　likening　his　suite　of　office　rooms　to　the　bot…
  tom　of　a　ship。　　The　rooms　were　three　in　number；　with　a
  door　opening　from　one　to　another。　　These　doors　could
  also　be　closed。
  〃Ships；〃　Lawyer　Gooch　would　say；　〃are　constructed
  for　safety；　with　separate；　water…tight　compartments　in
  their　bottoms。　　If　one　compartment　springs　a　leak　it　fills
  with　water；　but　the　good　ship　goes　on　unhurt。　　Were　it
  not　for　the　separating　bulkheads　one　leak　would　sink
  the　vessel。　　Now　it　often　happens　that　while　I　am　occu…
  pied　with　clients；　other　clients　with　conflicting　interests
  call。　　With　the　assistance　of　Archibald　　an　office　boy
  with　a　future　　I　cause　the　dangerous　influx　to　be
  diverted　into　separate　compartments；　while　I　sound
  with　my　legal　plummet　the　depth　of　each。　　If　neces…
  sary；　they　may　be　haled　into　the　hallway　and　permitted
  to　escape　by　way　of　the　stairs；　which　we　may　term　the　lee
  scuppers。　　Thus　the　good　ship　of　business　is　kept　afloat；
  whereas　if　the　element　that　supports　her　were　allowed
  to　mingle　freely　in　her　hold　we　might　be　swamped　　ha；
  ha；　ha！
  The　law　is　dry。　　Good　jokes　are　few。　　Surely　it
  might　be　permitted　Lawyer　Gooch　to　mitigate　the　bore
  of　briefs；　the　tedium　of　torts　and　the　prosiness　of　processes
  with　even　so　light　a　levy　upon　the　good　property　of　humour。
  Lawyer　Gooch's　practice　leaned　largely　to　the　settle…
  ment　of　marital　infelicities。　　Did　matrimony　languish
  through　complications；　he　mediated；　soothed　and　arbi…
  trated。　　Did　it　suffer　from　implications；　he　readjusted；
  defended　and　championed。　　Did　it　arrive　at　the　extremity
  of　duplications；　he　always　got　light　sentences　for　his
  clients。
  But　not　always　was　Lawyer　Gooch　the　keen；　armed；
  wily　belligerent；　ready　with　his　two…edged　sword　to　lop
  off　the　shackles　of　Hymen。　　He　had　been　known　to　build
  up　instead　of　demolishing；　to　reunite　instead　of　severing；
  to　lead　erring　and　foolish　ones　back　into　the　fold　instead
  of　scattering　the　flock。　　Often　had　he　by　his　eloquent
  and　moving　appeals　sent　husband　and　wife；　weeping；　back
  into　each　other's　arms。　　Frequently　he　had　coached
  childhood　so　successfully　that；　at　the　psychological
  moment　（and　at　a　given　signal）　the　plaintive　pipe　of
  〃Papa；　won't　you　turn　home　adain　to　me　and　muvver？〃
  had　won　the　day　and　upheld　the　pillars　of　a　tottering　home。
  Unprejudiced　persons　admitted　that　Lawyer　Gooch
  received　as　big　fees　from　these　revoked　clients　as　would
  have　been　paid　him　had　the　cases　been　contested　in　court。
  Prejudiced　ones　intimated　that　his　fees　were　doubled。
  because　the　penitent　couples　always　came　back　later　for
  the　divorce；　anyhow。
  There　came　a　season　in　June　when　the　legal　ship　of
  Lawyer　Gooch　（to　borrow　his　own　figure）　was　nearly
  becalmed。　　The　divorce　mill　grinds　slowly　in　June。　　It
  is　the　month　of　Cupid　and　Hymen。
  Lawyer　Gooch；　then；　sat　idle　in　the　middle　room　of
  his　clientless　suite。　　A　small　anteroom　connected　　or
  rather　separated　　this　apartment　from　the　hallway。
  Here　was　stationed　Archibald；　who　wrested　from　visitors
  their　cards　or　oral　nomenclature　which　he　bore　to　his
  master　while　they　waited。
  Suddenly；　on　this　day；　there　came　a　great　knocking
  at　the　outermost　door。
  Archibald；　opening　it；　was　thrust　aside　as　superfluous
  by　the　visitor；　who　without　due　reverence　at　once　pene…
  trated　to　the　office　of　Lawyer　Gooch　and　threw　himself
  with　good…natured　insolence　into　a　comfortable　chair
  facing　that　gentlemen。
  〃You　are　Phineas　C。　Gooch；　attorney…at…law？〃　　said
  the　visitor；　his　tone　of　voice　and　inflection　making　his
  words　at　once　a　question；　an　assertion　and　an　accusation。
  Before　committing　himself　by　a　reply；　the　lawyer　esti…
  mated　his　possible　client　in　one　of　his　brief　but　shrewd
  and　calculating　glances。
  The　man　was　of　the　emphatic　type　　large…sized；　active；
  bold　and　debonair　in　demeanour；　vain　beyond　a　doubt；
  slightly　swaggering；　ready　and　at　ease。　　He　was　well…
  clothed；　but　with　a　shade　too　much　ornateness。　　He　was
  seeking　a　lawyer；　but　if　that　fact　would　seem　to　saddle
  him　with　troubles　they　were　not　patent　in　his　beaming
  eye　and　courageous　air。
  〃My　name　is　Gooch；〃　at　length　the　lawyer　admitted。
  Upon　pressure　he　would　also　have　confessed　to　the　Phineas
  C。　But　he　did　not　consider　it　good　practice　to　volunteer
  information。　　〃I　did　not　receive　your　card；〃　he　continued