RHYMING JOE VIII.

RHYMING JOE.

"Well," continued Rhyming Joe, "isn't it strange how and under what circumstances old cronies sometimes meet?

Rhyming Joe had drawn two chairs near to the stove, and had playfully forced Ralph into one of them, while he, himself, took the other.

" "I think," said Rhyming Joe, as the man shuffled away, "that my young friend would like a dish of soup, then a bit of tenderloin, and a little chicken-salad, and some quail on toast, with the vegetables and accessories.

Rhyming Joe appeared to be deeply interested and very sympathetic.

" Rhyming Joe leaned across the table, lifted up the boy's chin, and looked into his eyes.

" Rhyming Joe paid no attention to these last remarks, but he seemed to be deeply interested in the law-suit mentioned.

continued Rhyming Joe; "have you got a lawyer?" "Oh, yes!

" Rhyming Joe gazed thoughtfully at the stove.

See?" Ralph did not remember to have asked Rhyming Joe to dine with him, but he did not want to appear mean, so he said: "Yes, I'll foot the bill; how much is it?" taking out his little leather wallet as he spoke.

But Rhyming Joe soon engaged him again in conversation.

In the meantime, the liquor in the bottle was steadily diminishing in quantity, as a result of Rhyming Joe's constant attention to it, and Ralph thought he began to detect evidences of intoxication in the speech and conduct of his friend.

He was still sitting at the round table, but Rhyming Joe had disappeared from the other side of it.

He could hardly believe that Rhyming Toe had intended to desert him in this way.

But Rhyming Joe did not wither.

Rhyming Joe gave a quick glance at the room door, which stood slightly ajar, then, turning in his chair to face the lawyer, he said deliberately and with emphasis: "I say the boy Ralph is not Robert Burnham's son.

Rhyming Joe laid his cigarette aside, straightened up in his chair, and again faced the lawyer squarely.

" He had taken a package of bank-notes from a drawer in his safe, had counted out a portion of them, and now handed them to Rhyming Joe.

it's the first time in fifteen years that I have failed to find an appropriate rhyming word; but the exigencies of a moment, you will understand, may destroy both rhyme and reason.

" Under the circumstances Sharpman was outdoing himself in politeness, but he could not well outdo Rhyming Joe.

But if the story were true, if it were true, then it should be known; Mrs. Burnham should know it, Mr. Goodlaw should know it, Mr. Sharpman should not conceal it, Rhyming Joe must not be allowed to depart until he had told it on the witness-stand, in open court.

He felt that Rhyming Joe would not lie to him to-night, nor deceive him, nor deny his request to make the truth known to those who ought to know it, if he could only find him and speak to him, and if the man could only see how utterly miserable he was.

He had failed to find Rhyming Joe, he had failed to find Lawyer Sharpman.

Why, Old Simon would know, but he would not dare to tell; Lawyer Sharpman would know, but he would not dare to tell; Rhyming Joe would know, but he would not dare to tell, at least, not for a long time.