he had personally delivered them to Hawkins in the office of the
Astor House. Gottlieb had gently assured him that he must be
mistaken and bowed him out, but Bunce for once in his little toy
career was "all up in the air." He felt that his own integrity
was, in some mysterious way, at stake, since it was upon his own
testimony to the effect that he had made the service of the papers
in question that the original decree had in part been granted.
The case was sent to a referee for hearing, and on the morning of
the day set Gottlieb called me into his office and said:

"Harkee, Quib! I've a plan that will put our little friend Bunce's
nose out of joint for good. It is nearly seven years now since he
has seen Hawkins and it was then only for a moment."

"Well," said I, "what is your game?"

"Come along to the hearing and you'll find out, my lad," answered
Gottlieb. "Don't fail if you want to see some fun."

Curious to discover what trick Gottlieb would be able to play, I
accordingly arranged my work so as to attend the hearing, which
was to be held in the referee's office in an old wooden building
on Broadway. As I climbed the stairs I caught sight of Hawkins
skulking on one of the landings, but he laid a finger on his lips
and I passed on and up to the attorney's office. The room, like
most old-fashioned lawyers' offices, was but dimly lighted, and on
entering I found the other side, with the exception of Mrs.
Dillingham, already there. The referee sat at one end of a large
table, surrounded by his books, with his stenographer beside him;
and to his left sat Bunce and a lawyer named Stires, the present
"attorney of record" for the defendant. I took my seat opposite
them, introduced myself to the referee and waited. In a few moments
the door opened noisily and Gottlieb entered with much bustle,
accompanied by a clerk carrying books and papers and by a perfectly
strange man, arrayed in very new clothes, who seemed much embarrassed
and doubtful as to what he should do.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen!" exclaimed Gottlieb breezily. "I regret
to have kept you waiting, but I was unavoidably detained. Shall
I sit down here? Yes? Very good. Please take your seat beside
me, Mr. Hawkins."

The stranger blushed, fumbled his hat, and sat down bashfully in
the place designated.

"Are you ready to proceed, gentlemen?" inquired the referee over
his spectacles. "Call your first witness."

Bunce, who had been fidgeti