tee with heavy damages for malicious prosecution. Whether germane to the law or not, it was a stirring appeal to a power mightier than law-public opinion. "I shall have to rule against you," said the judge. "In that case,” replied Woods, "I ask an adjournment till Monday."

"I think the request is reasonable," Strickland said. "So do I," remarked the judge.

"Somehow," said Woods, when the defendants and their counsel met for a conference, "somehow they 've picked up an almighty pile of evidence. I got a peep at one of those books. It was written solid full of what the witnesses will swear to. They were n't summoned for bluff, and they are n't the kind we can put down as liars."

"How do you suppose they got it all?" inquired one of the junior counsel.

"They have got it, and the question now is, what to do about it. In some States we might pin the witnesses down to dates, but the rule 's so lax here that dates don't count, and Bond will stick to the law of this State like bark to a tree. It's a dead open and shut on us, so far 's he 's concerned. It's barely possible a jury may let us out, but I don't see how we 're going to tide it over till it gets to 'em."

"Did n't Strickland say he did n't want any of us to go to jail or pay a fine?" inquired O'Leary.

"Yes, if you'll throw up your hands and make this an infernal prohibition town. He says if you'll plead guilty, or nolo, to one complaint apiece for being common sellers, he 'll have sentence suspended as long as you keep out of the business, on the understanding

that if you ever go into it again he 'll have you imprisoned on your plea, and prosecute you without mercy for future offenses. You could n't ask anything better, if it were n't for giving up the business. If you accept, the slate is sponged, but it's good-by selling whisky."

"What about the nuisance act?" asked another junior counsel.

"Strickland won't stick for that. He's found out that the old law 's a confounded sight worse than the new."

During this conversation Denman had been quietly figuring. "As I make it," he at length said, "the bail can't be less than about four millions, nor more than about eight; is that right, Woods?"

"On the whole grist? I should say it must be something like that."

"And the costs? How much will they be?" "On all? They 'll be a fortune."

"One or two hundred thousand dollars?"

แ Perhaps so; perhaps more. It's impossible to tell."

"I would n't care how much they were, if we could hold the committee responsible for 'em. That was all bluff, what you said about malicious prosecution, was n't it, Woods?"

"Yes."

"I thought so! Now, about those costs. It seems to me we can use one or two hundred thousand a great deal better in fighting the enemy than in paying costs to the State."

"Mr. Denman, how can we fight the enemy?

They 've got all the law. They 've piled up evidence like the everlasting mountains. They've got us solid, and you know it. There's nothing we can do but surrender."

"Surrender!" cried the old man, with an oath. "I'll die behind prison-bars first! I told my friends here we'd all stand together, and lick these cranks, horse, foot, and dragoons, till there was n't a grease spot left of 'em. I'm going to do it. They must make their peace, and let me fight it out alone. When it's over they 'll share the victory."

"We won't do it!" shouted half a dozen.

"We 'd be glad enough to make our peace," said one, "but there won't a man of us leave you alone.” "Not one of us!" cried another. แ "We'll stand with John Denman to the death!"

Every man echoed the verdict: "We'll stand with John Denman to the death!"

"I knew it! I knew it!" Denman proudly exclaimed. "But if you stay with me, it is to the death. If it takes me to jail, it sha'n't take you there. You must leave me to save me. It is n't deserting me; it's freeing me for the fight; and, by, it will be a fight before I'm done with 'em!"

"Mr. Denman," protested Woods, "they 've got the law for every point they 've taken; and as to evidence, they've got the representative men and women of this whole city. It 's sheer madness to stand out."

"That's the way you lawyers talked about the railroad. Law and evidence! I tell you I'll lick 'em, spite of law and evidence!"

When convinced that it was not deserting their

chief, the others made their peace, as he directed. A stenographer was on hand when the hearing was resumed. Strickland filed a second complaint, the one offered before the first adjournment.

"We waive the reading," said Woods.

"Do you waive examination also?"

"No."

The first witness was a leading physician. He testified that he was called to the Apsleighshire House, took a short cut through the bar-room, saw two bartenders and all the appurtenances of a bar, also six or eight men drinking, and one paying for the drinks. He gave the names of three of the men. He fixed the date by the charge in his fee-book, which was about a month prior to the date set forth in the complaint.

Woods strenuously objected to the evidence, on the ground that it did not apply to the day in question and was too remote. He argued the point at length, and cited numerous decisions from other States.

"But the decisions in this State-" began Strickland.

"We're bound by the law of this State," interrupted the judge. "I shall have to admit the evidence."

"It's just as I told him!" muttered Woods.

When the next complaint was filed he growled, "You might as well put 'em all in together. We'll waive reading. We don't want to spend the summer here!"

The papers, filling a large basket, were filed in mass. Strickland put on witness after witness, to the number of more than two hundred. Most of them testified with extreme reluctance, but bit by bit the

truth was drawn from them. Many greatly exceeded expectations, knowing far more than was suspected. Those who would have been inclined to lie, had the cases depended on them alone, were swept along by the great current of truth. All were subjected to a searching cross-examination, and Denman's stenographer took down every word they said. The hearing lasted ten days. At its close Denman was held on every charge.

"In view of the extraordinary character of these proceedings," said the judge, "I shall fix the bail as low as the law permits. You will have to furnish bonds, Mr. Denman, in the sum of one hundred and nine thousand two hundred dollars."

"It 's just as I told you, only more of it," said Woods, when the hearing was over. "They 've got us solid."

"Got us solid!" exclaimed Denman. what we've got to meet."

"We know

If the eighteen thousand prosecutions had struck the liquor-dealers in the full tide of business, as might have been the case but for Harpswell's folly, and had then been followed by complete amnesty on surrender, the community would have regarded it as an extreme measure. To adopt such extreme measures against men who had stopped violating the law was regarded by many as an outrage that could have no justification. Denman was not a man to let a misunderstanding of motives die for want of nursing, and the Democrats were anxious to keep it alive for purposes of their own. The fight was chiefly between Republicans. The fortunes of the party in State and nation were