“It’s a rotten world,” the other girl spoke with a sudden gust of bitterness.  “A world without honor or justice.”

“Or a nightmare,” said Frank, with a glance at Aleta.

“Well, if it is, I’m going to wake up soon—­in one way or another,” said Norah.  “I will promise you that.”  To Frank the words seemed ominous.  He left soon afterward.

The Calhoun trial dragged interminably.  Heney, not entirely recovered from his wound, but back in court, faced a battery of the country’s highest priced attorneys.  There were A.A. and Stanley Moore, Alexander King, who was Calhoun’s law partner in the South; Lewis F. Byington, a former district attorney; J.J.  Barrett, Earl Rogers, a sensationally successful criminal defender from Los Angeles, and Garret McEnerney.  Heney had but one assistant, John O’Gara, a deputy in Langdon’s office.

For five long months the Prosecution fought such odds.  Heney lost his temper frequently in court.  He was on the verge of a nerve prostration.  Anti-prosecution papers hinted that his faculties were failing.  Langdon more or less withdrew from the fight.  He was tired of it; had declined to be a candidate for the district attorneyship in the Fall.  Heney was the Prosecution’s only hope.  He consented to run; which added to his legal labors the additional tasks of preparing for a campaign.

It was not to be wondered at that Heney failed to convict Calhoun.  The jury disagreed after many ballots.  A new trial was set.  But before a jury was empanelled the November ballot gave the Prosecution its “coup de grace.”

P.H.  McCarthy was elected Mayor.  Charles Fickert defeated Heney for the district attorneyship.  An anti-Prosecution government took office.

“Big Jim” Gallagher, the Prosecution’s leading witness, disappeared.

Fickert sought dismissal of the Calhoun case and finally obtained it.

* * * * *

San Francisco heaved a sigh of relief and turned its attention toward another problem.  Its people planned a great world exposition to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal.

With the close of the Graft trials, San Francisco put its shoulders in concerted effort to the wheel.  There were rivals now.  San Diego claimed a prior plan.  New Orleans was importuning Congress to support it in an Exposition.  The Southern city sent its lobbying delegation to the Capitol.  San Francisco seemed about to lose.

But the city was aroused to one of its outbursts of pioneer energy.  The Panama-Pacific International Exposition Company was organized.  A meeting was called at the Merchants’ Exchange.  There, in two hours, $4,000,000 was subscribed by local merchants.

CHAPTER XC

THE MEASURE OF REDEMPTION