finished."

"But I tell you the criminal one is dead. Squashed. Bohlmann and I have
seen the right people, and they've seen the District Attorney. That case
won't even go to the grand jury. So now, drop it, and say what you'll
settle the civil suits for?"

"James Coldman shall go to prison for killing those children," said
Peter, "and till he does, it is waste time to talk of dropping or
settling anything."

"Humph," half laughed the lawyer, though with obvious disgust at the
mulishness in Peter's face and voice. "You think you know it all. But
you don't. You can work for ten years, and that case will be no nearer
trial than it is to-day. I tell you, young man, you don't know New
York."

"I don't know New York," said Peter, "but--"

"Exactly," interrupted Dummer. "And I do."

"Probably," replied Peter quietly, "You may know New York, Mr. Dummer,
but you don't know me. That case shall be tried."

"Well," laughed Dummer, "if you'll agree not to press the civil suits,
till that's out of the way, we shall have no need to compromise.
Good-day."

The next morning Peter went to the District Attorney's office, and
inquired for him.

"He's gone to Bar Harbor for a couple of weeks' vacation," he was told.

"Whom must I see in his stead?" And after some time Peter was brought
face to face with the acting official.

"Mr. Nelson told me he should present the Coldman case to the grand jury
to-day, and finding he has left the city, I wish to know who has it in
charge?" asked Peter.

"He left all the presentments with me," the deputy replied, "but there
was no such case as that."

"Could he have left it with some one else to attend to?"

"No."

Peter went back to his office, took down the Code and went over certain
sections. His eyes had rather a sad look as they gazed at his wall,
after his study, as if what he had read had not pleased him. But if the
eyes were sad, the heavy jaw had a rigidness and setness which gave no
indication of weakness or yielding.

For two weeks Peter waited, and then once more invaded officialdom.

"The District Attorney's engaged, and can't see you," he was told. Peter
came again in the afternoon, with the same result. The next morning,
brought only a like answer, and this was duplicated in the afternoon.
The third day he said he would wait, and sat for hours in the ante-room,
hoping to be called, or to intercept the officer. But it was only to see
man after man ushered into the priva