rom the shadows. "Don't take up the judge's
time, Nellie; time's money, and money's as infrequent as a white crow."

And then suddenly and painfully conscious of his verbal forwardness, the
little lamplighter sank back into the grateful gloom of his corner and
was mute.

"It's my man, Judge--" said Nellie.

And the judge nodded comprehendingly.

"I don't know how me and my children are to live through the winter, I
declare I don't, Judge, unless he gives me a little help!"

"And the winter ain't fairly here yet, and it's got a long belly when it
does come!" said Mr. Shrimplin.

Immediately the little man was conscious of the impropriety of his
language. He realized that the happy and forcefully expressed philosophy
with which he sought to open Custer's mind to the practical truths of
life, was a jarring note in the judge's library.

"Joe's acting scandalous, Judge, just scandalous!" said Nellie with
sudden shrill energy. "That man would take the soul out of a saint with
his carryings-on!"

"It seems to me there is nothing new in this," observed the judge a
little impatiently. "Is he under arrest?"

"No, Judge, he ain't under arrest--" began Nellie.

"Which ain't saying he hadn't ought to be!" the little lamplighter
snorted savagely. He suddenly remembered he was there to give his moral
support to his sister-in-law.

"That man's got a new streak into him, Judge. I thought he'd about done
everything he could do that he shouldn't, but he's broke out in a fresh
spot!"

"What has he been doing, Nellie?" asked the judge, who felt that his
callers had so far lacked in directness and definiteness.

"What ain't he been doing, you'd better say, Judge!" cried Nellie
miserably.

"Is he abusing you or the children?"

"I don't see him from one week's end to another!"

"Am I to understand that he has deserted you?" questioned the judge.

"No, I can't say that, for he sends his clothes home for me to wash and
mend."

"Ain't that the human sufferin' limit?" gasped Mr. Shrimplin.

"I suppose you wash and mend them?" And the judge smiled faintly.

"Of course," admitted Mrs. Montgomery simply.

"Does he contribute anything toward your support?" asked the judge.

The woman laughed sarcastically at this.

"It takes a barkeeper to pry Joe loose from his coin," interjected Mr.
Shrimplin. "Get down to details, Nellie, and tell the judge what kind of
a critter you're hitched up to."

"He told Arthur, that's my olde