od order, and obedience, and the man who lets another
command him they despise. I can think of no threat more evil for our
democracy, for it is a fine thing diseased and perverted--namely,
independence gone drunk.

Pidcock's examination went forward, and the half-sack of gold from the
hay-stack brought a great silence in court. The Major's identification
of the gold was conducted by Rocklin with stage effect, for it was an
undoubted climax; but I caught a most singular smile on the face of
Bishop Meakum, and there sat Mrs. Sproud, still solitary and engulfed in
the throng, her face flushed and her eyes blazing. And here ended the
first day.

In the morning came the Major's cross-examination, with the room more
crowded than before, but I could not find Mrs. Sproud. Rocklin did not
believe I had seen her, and I feared something had happened to her. The
Bishop had walked to the court with Jenks, talking and laughing upon
general subjects, so far as I could hear. The counsel for the prisoners
passed lightly over the first part of the evidence, only causing an
occasional laugh on the score of the Major's military prowess, until he
came to the gold.

"You said this sack was one of yours, Major?" he now inquired.

"It is mine, sir."

A large bundle of sacks was brought. "And how about these? Here are ten,
fifteen--about forty. I'll get some more if you say so. Are they all
yours?"

"Your question strikes me as idle, sir." The court rapped, and Jenks
smiled. "They resemble mine," said Pidcock. "But they are not used."

"No; not used." Jenks held up the original, shaking the gold. "Now I'm
going to empty your sack for a moment."

"I object," said Rocklin, springing up.

"Oh, it's all counted," laughed Jenks; and the objection was not
sustained. Then Jenks poured the gold into a new sack and shook that
aloft. "It makes them look confusingly similar, Major. I'll just put my
card in your sack."

"I object," said Rocklin, with anger, but with futility. Jenks now
poured the gold back into the first, then into a third, and thus into
several, tossing them each time on the table, and the clinking pieces
sounded clear in the room. Bishop Meakum was watching the operation like
a wolf. "Now, Major," said Jenks, "is your gold in the original sack, or
which sack is my card in?"

This was the first time that the room broke out loudly; and Pidcock,
when the people were rapped to order, said, "The sack's not the thing."

"Of cou