Fantasy fiction; Science fiction; Subconsciousness -- Fiction
"It's a trick!" the bank president yelled. "We have the one that was
arrested in front of my bank." He pointed to Marc. "That's the one we
want!"
* * * * *
The crowd seemed inclined to agree. Marc, so far, had provided them
with a splendid target for their injured feelings, and they were loath
to give him up ... even for a replacement that was like him in every
detail. Besides, this newcomer seemed the type that would fight back.
"But," the Justice put in wearily, "there appears to be a margin of
doubt in this whole business ... a mighty wide margin, too. The court
must be fair. A positive identification must be established." He
pinched the ridge of his nose for a moment, then glanced up hopefully.
"Can anyone here point to either of these men and state positively that
he is the miscreant?"
"I can!"
All eyes turned to one of the waitresses as she started forward. It
was the young lady who had suffered the water cure at the hands of
Toffee. She placed herself stolidly before the bar, sneered briefly at
Toffee, then pointed to Marc.
"That's the one," she said positively. "That silly map of his is
stenciled on my memory for the rest of my life. I saw it in a nightmare
last night. There's something funny about his eyes, too. No mistake,
your Honor. That's the bird that did the mischief."
"You lie in your nasty bucked teeth!" Toffee rasped.
The girl whirled on Toffee, her body tense with anger. "You keep your
phony two-bits worth outa this, or I'll tell his Honor what you did.
I'll never be right again because of you!"
At this his Honor seemed to pick up his ears. Here was a note of
intrigue worthy of his personal attention.
"What did she do?" he asked in a hushed voice.
The girl beckoned with a stained finger and the Justice obligingly
leaned down over the bench. Lip-to-ear, the waitress whispered at
length, and as the narrative progressed the Justice's mouth formed a
scandalized O.
"All the way down?" he asked when she had finished.
The girl nodded vigorously. "And it made me feel all...."
The Justice suddenly seemed to remember that he was presiding over a
court rather than a ladies' tea. His features fixed themselves into an
expression of severity. "I'm not sure you should divulge confidences
of such a personal nature, young lady," he said, straightening up.
"However, I can see your complaint."
"Anyone can see her complaint," Toffee commented dryly. "I guess she
was just born that way."
"Silence!" the Justice snapped. "And besides, this sort of thing
doesn't really get us anywhere." He turned to the waitress. "You're
certain this is the man, are you? No doubt in your mind whatsoever?"
"None."
"She's lying!" Toffee cried. "How _can_ she be sure? They're just
alike."
"Sure," George put in. "How can she be when _I'm_ not so sure which of
us is which. Maybe I am really he, for all I know."
"Eh?" The Justice's eyebrows seemed about to leave his face. "How's
that?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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