the record—­stands upon the record, sir,—­of this cause to which, as a representative of Remus, I have lent my official aid?  Do you mean to say that you have deceived my constituency, whose sacred trust I hold, in inveigling me to hiding a crime from the Argus eyes of justice?” And Mr. Gashwiler looked towards the bell-pull as if about to summon a servant to witness this outrage against the established judiciary.

“The murder, if it was a murder, took place before Garcia entered upon this claim, or had a footing in this court,” returned Wiles blandly, “and is no part of the record.”

“You are sure it is not spread upon the record?”

“I am.  You can judge for yourself.”

Mr. Gashwiler walked to the window, returned to the table, finished his liquor in a single gulp, and then, with a slight resumption of dignity, said: 

“That alters the case.”

Wiles glanced with his left eye at the Congressman.  The right placidly looked out of the window.  Presently he said quietly, “I’ve brought you the certificates of stock; do you wish them made out in your own name?”

Mr. Gashwiler tried hard to look as if he were trying to recall the meaning of Wiles’s words.  “Oh!—­ah!—­umph!—­let me see,—­oh, yes, the certificates,—­certainly!  Of course you will make them out in the name of my secretary, Mr. Expectant Dobbs.  They will perhaps repay him for the extra clerical labor required in the prosecution of your claim.  He is a worthy young man.  Although not a public officer, yet he is so near to me that perhaps I am wrong in permitting him to accept a fee for private interests.  An American representative cannot be too cautious, Mr. Wiles.  Perhaps you had better have also a blank transfer.  The stock is, I understand, yet in the future.  Mr. Dobbs, though talented and praiseworthy, is poor; he may wish to realize.  If some—­ahem! some friend—­better circumstanced should choose to advance the cash to him and run the risk,—­why, it would only be an act of kindness.”

“You are proverbially generous, Mr. Gashwiler,” said Wiles, opening and shutting his left eye like a dark lantern on the benevolent representative.

“Youth, when faithful and painstaking, should be encouraged,” replied Mr. Gashwiler.  “I lately had occasion to point this out in a few remarks I had to make before the Sabbath school reunion at Remus.  Thank you, I will see that they are—­ahem!—­conveyed to him.  I shall give them to him with my own hand,” he concluded, falling back in his chair, as if the better to contemplate the perspective of his own generosity and condescension.  Mr. Wiles took his hat and turned to go.  Before he reached the door Mr. Gashwiler returned to the social level with a chuckle: 

“You say this woman, this Garcia’s niece, is handsome and smart?”

“Yes.”

“I can set another woman on the track that’ll euchre her every time!”