s
indignation advancing toward him. If Jim's usual frown looked black, the
scowl that was on the Judge's face was cyclonic.

"You unspeakable scoundrel!" the Judge exclaimed, as he confronted
Jimmy.

"That, sir, is precisely the term I should have applied to you!"
retorted Jimmy. And then, before the Judge, who was not so quick on the
up-take, had time to recover, Jim poked his face belligerently forward
and added, "The sole condition that prevents me from giving you just
what you deserve--a punch in the jaw!--is that we are here on the
street; but I'll promise you this, you infernal windbag, that if ever I
get you alone, I'll change your facial boundaries until you'll never
more be mistaken for me."

"You--you--how dare you!" exclaimed the Judge, drawing back as if
aghast, and considerably alarmed by the threat of physical peril.

"See here," said Jim, advancing a step as the Judge retreated, "we'll
mention no names, but I'll say this: that if ever again you take
advantage of our resemblance to force your attentions on the young lady
with whom I saw you last night, I'll expose you. You should be ashamed
of yourself. There is a limit to everything, and your actions are beyond
the lines of decency--you--you--hypocritical blackguard!"

"Not another word! Not another word!" roared the Judge, as if he were
admonishing a highly obstreperous witness in his court "It's all I can
do to keep from turning you over to the police, and----"

"And it's all I can do to keep from putting my fist into your face until
someone calls for an ambulance! By God! I think I'll do it anyhow!"
exclaimed Jim with such evident intention that the Judge got from reach
not an instant too soon, and, deciding that he might as well continue
his progress after such a flying start, did not pause until he had
reached the security of the hotel rotunda. Jim's first impulse had been
to assist his departure with his boot, but after his leg had got
half-way into the air he recovered his senses, and then angrily turned
and walked down the avenue. Once around the corner of an intersecting
street he stopped, got out of the line of traffic, and despite the
coldness of the day, removed his hat and wiped moisture from his
forehead.

"Good Lord!" he muttered, "what a narrow escape! I came as near to
making an absolute fool of myself then as ever I have in my life. If I
hadn't controlled myself at the right moment I would have probably
booted the Judge; but wou