Cora--came to me last night.
By the Lord, she melted my heart. She got down on her knees. How she
loves that gambler!... Well, I promised to defend him, confound it." He
passed on shaking his head.
"Didn't mention what his fee was," Broderick spoke cynically.
"I'm informed he tried to give it back to her this morning," said
Benito. "But she wouldn't take it. Made a scene and held him to his
honor." He laughed.
* * * * *
Cora's trial dragged itself into the following January on the slow feet
of countless technicalities. Every legal subterfuge was exhausted by the
quartet of talented and high-priced attorneys provided by Belle Cora's
questionable fortune but unquestioned affection. The trial proved a
feast of oratory, a mass of contradictory evidence. Before it began a
juror named Jacob Mayer accused L. Sokalasky with offering him a bribe.
Sokalasky, brought into court, denied the charge. And there it ended,
save that thenceforth the "twelve good men and true" were exiled even
from their families by the order of Judge Hagar. None the less it seemed
quite evident as a morning paper cynically remarked, that the stable had
been locked after the horses were stolen.
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