The　song　was　a　lyric　of　merit。　　The　words　were　non…
  sense；　as　befitted　the　play；　but　the　music　was　worthy　of
  something　better。　　Delmars　struck　into　it　in　a　rich　tenor
  that　owned　a　quality　that　shamed　the　flippant　words。
  During　one　verse　of　the　song　the　wood　nymph　per…
  formed　the　grotesque　evolutions　designed　for　the　scene。
  At　the　middle　of　the　second　verse　she　stood　still；　with　a
  strange　look　on　her　face；　seeming　to　gaze　dreamily　into
  the　depths　of　the　scenic　forest。　　The　gorilla's　last　leap
  had　brought　him　to　her　feet；　and　there　he　knelt；　holding
  her　hand；　until　he　had　finished　the　haunting…lyric　that
  was　set　in　the　absurd　comedy　like　a　diamond　in　a　piece
  of　putty。
  When　Delmars　ceased　Miss　Carroll　started；　and
  covered　a　sudden　flow　of　tears　with　both　hands。
  〃There！〃　　cried　the　playwright；　gesticulating　with
  violence；　〃there　you　have　it；　sergeant。　　For　two　weeks
  she　has　spoiled　that　scene　in　just　that　manner　at　every
  performance。　　I　have　begged　her　to　consider　that　it　is
  not　Ophelia　or　Juliet　that　she　is　playing。　　Do　you　wonder
  now　at　our　impatience？　　Tears　for　the　gorilla　song！
  The　play　is　lost！〃
  Out　of　her　bewitchment；　whatever　it　was；　the　wood
  nymph　flared　suddenly；　and　pointed　a　desperate　finger
  at　Delmars。
  〃It　is　you　　you　who　have　done　this；〃　she　cried
  wildly。　　〃You　never　sang　that　song　that　way　until　lately。
  It　is　your　doing。〃
  〃I　give　it　up；〃　said　the　sergeant。
  And　then　the　gray…haired　matron　of　the　police　station
  came　forward　from　behind　the　sergeant's　chair。
  〃Must　an　old　woman　teach　you　all？〃　　she　said。　　She
  went　up　to　Miss　Carroll　and　took　her　hand。
  〃The　man's　wearing　his　heart　out　for　you；　my　dear。
  Couldn't　you　tell　it　the　first　note　you　heard　him　sing？
  All　of　his　monkey　flip…flops　wouldn't　have　kept　it
  from　me。　　Must　you　be　deaf　as　well　as　blind？　　That's
  why　you　couldn't　act　your　part；　child。　　Do　you
  love　him　or　must　he　be　a　gorilla　for　the　rest　of　his
  days？〃
  Miss　Carroll　whirled　around　and　caught　Delmars
  with　a　lightning　glance　of　her　eye。　　He　came　toward　her；
  melancholy。
  〃Did　you　hear；　Mr。　Delmars？〃　　she　asked；　with　a
  catching　breath。
  〃I　did；〃　said　the　comedian。　　〃It　is　true。　　I　didn't
  think　there　was　any　use。　　I　tried　to　let　you　know　with
  the　song。〃
  〃Silly！〃　　said　the　matron；　〃why　didn't　you　speak？〃
  〃No；　no；〃　cried　the　wood　nymph；　〃his　way　was　the
  best。　　I　didn't　know；　but　　it　was　just　what　I　wanted；
  Bobby。〃
  She　sprang　like　a　green　grasshopper；　and　the　comedian
  opened　his　arms；　and　　smiled。
  〃Get　out　of　this；〃　roared　the　desk　sergeant　to　the
  waiting　waiter　from　the　restaurant。　　〃There's　nothing
  doing　here　for　you。〃
  ONE　DOLLAR'S　WORTH
  The　judge　of　the　United　States　court　of　the　district
  lying　along　the　Rio　Grande　border　found　the　following
  letter　one　morning　in　his　mail：
  JUDGE：
  When　you　sent　me　up　for　four　years　you　made　a　talk。
  Among　other　hard　things；　you　called　me　a　rattlesnake。
  Maybe　I　am　one　　anyhow；　you　hear　me　rattling　now。
  One　year　after　I　got　to　the　pen；　my　daughter　died　of
  well；　they　said　it　was　poverty　and　the　disgrace　together。
  You've　got　a　daughter；　Judge；　and　I'm　going　to　make
  you　know　how　it　feels　to　lose　one。　　And　I'm　going　to
  bite　that　district　attorney　that　spoke　against　me。　　I'm
  free　now；　and　I　guess　I've　turned　to　rattlesnake　all　right。
  I　feel　like　one。　　I　don't　say　much；　but　this　is　my　rattle。
  Look　out　when　I　strike。
  Yours　respectfully；
  RATTLESNAKE。
  Judge　Derwent　threw　the　letter　carelessly　aside。　　It
  was　nothing　new　to　receive　such　epistles　from　desperate
  men　whom　he　had　been　called　upon　to　judge。　　He　felt
  no　alarm。　　Later　on　he　showed　the　letter　to　Littlefield；
  the　young　district　attorney；　for　Littlefield's　name　was
  included　in　the　threat；　and　the　judge　was　punctilious　in
  matters　between　himself　and　his　fellow　men。
  Littlefield　honoured　the　rattle　of　the　writer；　as　far　as
  it　concerned　himself；　with　a　smile　of　contempt；　but　he
  frowned　a　little　over　the　reference　to　the　Judge's　daughter；
  for　he　and　Nancy　Derwent　were　to　be　married　in　the
  fall。
  Littlefield　went　to　the　clerk　of　the　court　and　looked
  over　the　records　with　him。　　They　decided　that　the　letter
  might　have　been　sent　by　Mexico　Sam；　a　half…breed　border
  desperado　who　had　been　imprisoned　for　manslaughter
  four　years　before。　　Then　official　duties　crowded　the　mat…
  ter　from　his　mind；　and　the　rattle　of　the　revengeful　serpent
  was　forgotten。
  Court　was　in　session　at　Brownsville。　　Most　of　the　cases
  to　be　tried　were　charges　of　smuggling；　counterfeiting；
  post…office　robberies；　and　violations　of　Federal　laws　along
  the　border。　　One　case　was　that　of　a　young　Mexican；
  Rafael　Ortiz；　who　had　been　rounded　up　by　a　clever
  deputy　marshal　in　the　act　of　passing　a　counterfeit　silver
  dollar。　　He　had　been　suspected　of　many　such　deviations
  from　rectitude；　but　this　was　the　first　time　that　anything
  provable　had　been　fixed　upon　him。　　Ortiz　languished
  cozily　in　jail；　smoking　brown　cigarettes　and　waiting　for
  trial。　　Kilpatrick；　the　deputy；　brought　the　counterfeit
  dollar　and　handed　it　to　the　district　attorney　in　his　office
  in　the　court…house。　　The　deputy　and　a　reputable　druggist
  were　prepared　to　swear　that　Ortiz　paid　for　a　bottle　of
  medicine　with　it。　　The　coin　was　a　poor　counterfeit；　soft；
  dull…looking；　and　made　principally　of　lead。　　It　was　the
  day　before　the　morning　on　which　the　docket　would　reach
  the　case　of　Ortiz；　and　the　district　attorney　was　preparing
  himself　for　trial。
  〃Not　much　need　of　having　in　high…priced　experts　to
  prove　the　coin's　queer；　is　there；　Kil？〃　　smiled　Littlefield；
  as　he　thumped　the　dollar　down　upon　the　table；　where　it
  fell　with　no　more　ring　than　would　have　come　from　a　lump
  of　putty。
  〃I　guess　the　Greaser's　as　good　as　behind　the　bars；〃
  said　the　deputy；　easing　up　his　holsters。　　〃You've　got
  him　dead。　　If　it　had　been　just　one　time；　these　Mexicans
  can't　tell　good　money　from　bad；　but　this　little　yaller
  rascal　belongs　to　a　gang　of　counterfeiters；　I　know。　　This
  is　the　first　time　I've　been　able　to　catch　him　doing　the　trick。
  He's　got　a　girl　down　there　in　them　Mexican　jacals　on
  the　river　bank。　　I　seen　her　one　day　when　I　was　watching
  him。　　She's　as　pretty　as　a　red　heifer　in　a　flower　bed。〃
  Littlefield　shoved　the　counterfeit　dollar　into　his　pocket；
  and　slipped　his　memoranda　of　the　case　into　an　envelope。
  Just　then　a　bright；　winsome　face；　as　frank　and　jolly　as
  a　boy's；　appeared　in　the　doorway；　and　in　walked　Nancy
  Derwent。
  〃Oh；　Bob；　didn't　court　adjourn　at　twelve　to…day　until
  to…morrow？〃　　she　asked　of　Littlefield。
  〃It　did；〃　said　the　district　attorney；　〃and　I'm　very　glad
  of　it。　　I've　got　a　lot　of　rulings　to　look　up；　and　　〃
  〃Now；　that's　just　like　you。　　I　wonder　you　and　father
  don't　turn　to　law　books　or　rulings　or　something！　　I
  want　you　to　take　me　out　plover…shooting　this　afternoon。
  Long　Prairie　is　just　alive　with　them。　　Don't　say　no；
  please！　　I　want　to　try　my　new　twelve…bore　hammerless。
  I've　sent　to　the　livery　stable　to　engage　Fly　and　Bess　for
  the　buckboard；　they　stand　fire　so　nicely。　　I　was　sure　you
  would　go。〃
  They　were　to　be　married　in　the　fall。　　The　glamour　was
  at　its　height。　　The　plovers　won　the　day　　or；　rather；　the
  afternoon　　over　the　calf…bound　authorities。　　Littlefield
  began　to　put　his　papers　away。
  There　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　　Kilpatrick　answered
  it。　　A　beautiful；　dark…eyed　girl　with　a　skin　tinged　with
  the　faintest　lemon　colour　walked　into　the　room。　　A　black
  shawl　was　thrown　over　her　head　and　wound　once　around
  her　neck。
  She　began　to　talk　in　Spanish；　a　voluble；　mournful
  stream　of　melancholy　music。　　Littlefield　did　not　under…
  stand　Spanish。　　The　deputy　did；　and　he　translated　her
  talk　by　portions；　at　intervals　holding　up　his　hand　to　check
  the　flow　of　her　words。
  〃She　came　to　see　you；　Mr。　Littlefield。　　Her　name's
  Joya　Trevi馻s。　　She　wants　to　see　you　about　　well；
  she's　mixed　up　with　that　Rafael　Ortiz。　　She's　his　　she's
  his　girl。　　She　says　he's　innocent。　　She　says　she　made
  the　money　and　got　him　to　pass　it。　　Don't　you　believe
  her；　Mr。　Little…field。　　That's　the　way　with　these　Mexi…
  can　girls；　they'll　lie；　steal；　or　kill　for　a　fellow　when　they
  get　stuck　on　him。　　Never　trust　a　woman　that's　in　love！〃
  〃Mr。　Kilpatrick！〃
  Nancy　Derwent's　indignant　exclamation　caused　the
  deputy　to　flounder　for　a　moment　in　attempting　to　explain
  that　he　had　misquoted　his　own　sentiments；　and　then　he
  event　on　with　the　translation：
  〃She　says　she's　willing　to　take　his　place　in　the　jail　if
  you'll　let　him　out。　　She　says　she　was　down　sick　with　the
  fever；　and　the　doctor　said　she'd　die　if　she　didn't　have
  medicine。　　That's　why　he　passed　the　lead　dollar　on　the
  drug　store。　　She　says　it　saved　her　life。　　This　Rafal。
  seems　to　be　her　honey；　all　right；　there's　a　lot　of　stuff　in
  her　talk　abou