t immediately. It was not
many minutes before the more important ones of us had gathered, and we
proceeded to court, once again a Combination Extraordinary--a spectacle
for Tucson. So much stir and prosperity had not blossomed in the town
for many years, its chief source of life being the money that Lowell
Barracks brought to it. But now its lodgings were crowded and its
saloons and Mexican dens of entertainment waked to activity. From a
dozing sunburnt village of adobe walls and almond-trees it was become
something like those places built in a single Western day of riot
extravagance, where corner lots are clamored for and men pay a dollar to
be shaved.

Jenks was before us in the room with his clients. He was practising what
I always think of as his celluloid smile, whispering, and all-hail with
everybody. One of the prisoners had just such another mustache as his
own, too large for his face; and this had led me since to notice a type
of too large mustaches through our country in all ranks, but of similar
men, who generally have either stolen something or lacked the
opportunity. Catching sight of me, Jenks came at once, friendly as you
please, shaking my passive hand, and laughing that we should meet again
under such circumstances.

"When we're through this nuisance," said he, "you must take dinner with
me. Just now, you understand, it wouldn't look well to see me hobnobbing
with a government witness. See you again!" And he was off to some one
else.

I am confident this man could not see himself as others--some others, at
least--saw him. To him his whole performance was natural and
professional, and my view that he was more infamous by far than the
thieves would have sincerely amazed him. Indeed, for one prisoner I felt
very sorry. Young black curly was sitting there, and, in contrast to Mr.
Adams, down whose beard the tobacco forever ran, he seemed downcast and
unhardened, I thought. He was getting his deserts through base means. It
was not for the sake of justice but from private revenge that Mrs.
Sproud had moved; and, after all, had the boy injured her so much as
this? Yet how could I help him? They were his deserts. My mood was
abruptly changed to diversion when I saw among our jury specimens of
both types of Meakum, and prominent among the spectator throng their
sire, that canny polygamist, surveying the case with the same forceful
attention I had noticed first in the House of Representatives, and ever
since