m put the baby
into a chair and heard him cough.

The two men--the Judge and Mr. Roddy--looked up, and I never saw two
such faces.

"Stare!" said the terrible creature. "Well you may! Go ahead and stare,
for all the good it will do you. I know you both. Both of you wanted me
hung, didn't you? You're clever men--you two. But I'm cleverer than you.
The joke is on you."

"You came in?" asked the Judge in a whisper, as if he didn't believe his
eyes.

"Yes, and I'd have come in the front door if the people, with their
butterplate eyes, weren't watching me wherever I go. Oh, don't think I'm
crazy with drink. No! I'm clever."

The Judge and Mr. Roddy had stood up and the Judge could not seem to
find a word to say, but Mr. Roddy clenched his freckled fists.

"What yer want?" he said.

"I came to tell you," said Chalmers, "that the joke is on you. I didn't
expect the pleasure of seeing you, Roddy, my fine penny-a-liner. But
you're in this, too. The joke is on you. I've been acquitted."

"What of it?" the Judge said.

"I can't be tried twice for the same crime, can I? Didn't my lawyer tell
me? I guess I know my rights. Ho, ho, the joke is on you, Judge. I saw
your eyes looking at me for a week. I knew you would like to see me hung
and Roddy there,--he nearly got me. But I'm safe now--safe as you are."

The reporter laughed a little--a strange laugh.

"You killed her, after all?" he asked.

"Yes," answered the other in a husky and cheerful voice. "I did. That's
where the joke is on you. I did the trick! Me! And what have you two got
to say? Who takes the bacon--me or you?"

"You don't know what you say," the Judge cried.

"Yes, I do," roared the man. "I tell you I did the trick and got tried
once, and I'm free forever. There isn't anybody can touch me. I tell you
the joke is on you, because I did it."

I could see Mr. Roddy's green eyes grow narrow then. He turned to the
Judge.

"Is that so?" he asked. "He can't be arrested again?"

The Judge shook his head. I can see this minute how his face looked.

"Well," said Mr. Roddy, with a long sigh, "I'm beat! I've seen a lot of
criminals in my day. Some were very clever. The joke is on me, Chalmers,
for I'm obliged to say that you are the cleverest, slickest person I've
ever seen, and you beat me! I've a lot of respect for you, Chalmers.
Here's my fist--shake!"

The other walked to meet him and they clasped hands in the middle of the
room. It was only for a seco