last minute, I find that one of my important witnesses is unable to be
in attendance and, under those circumstances, I am compelled to ask for
an adjournment of two weeks.

"I regret, as regards the counsel on the other side, having to do this,
as he assures me he is ready and anxious to go to trial, but it is
unavoidable, and I promise this, that if the witness referred to is not
here two weeks from to-day, I will go on with the case anyhow."

"Have you anything to say, Mr. Kenneth?" asked the judge of Darcy's
lawyer.

"Only that I regret the delay as much as does the prosecutor, and that
we will be ready any time. I should prefer to go on with the trial
now, but I realize that the matter is out my hands."

"The case then stands adjourned for two weeks," announced the court,
and the officer, arising, announced:

"The case of the State against James Darcy postponed for two weeks, and
all witnesses for the prosecution and for the defence will then appear
without further notice."

There was a hum of disappointment, and most of the crowd filed out when
the prosecutor moved a case of assault and battery. Darcy, with a look
at Amy Mason, which she returned with one of assurance and confidence,
was taken back to jail.

Colonel Ashley read:

"Let your bait be as big a red worm as you can find."

"Spotty is certainly red," mused the fisherman. He was sitting, after
the adjournment, in his hotel room. "Red and freckled. As for bait--"

Musingly he closed the little green book and watched the smoke curl
lazily from his cigar.

Several days went by. The colonel was seated in his hotel room, his
finger between the leaves of a little green book, smoking and reading.
The telephone rang sharply.

"Hello. Oh, it's you, is it, Basset. So you got back with Spotty, did
you? Good! No trouble on the trip? Fine! All right, I'll wait here
for you. No, the trial went off for two weeks. You're in plenty of
time. I'll expect you soon. Good-bye."

An hour later the man he had sent West to bring on Spotty Morgan
entered his room. This man, a detective from the colonel's office,
had been instructed by wire to go to a certain city and there, without
the formality of requisition papers, which Spotty more or less
generously waived, bring on the prisoner.

"Well, what does he say, Basset?" asked the colonel, when he had
provided his man with a cigar. "What does he say?" and the voice was
eager.

"Oh, he says he