"Ephraim," said the circuit judge, reproachfully, "this is no frivolous matter. Moseby Allen has wrought a great wrong, by which many innocent men will suffer vast injury, perhaps ruin. Such malicious cunning is dangerous to society. Justice cannot reach all wrongs; its hands are tied by the restrictions of the law. Why, under this very statute, one who was _de facto_ an officer of the county or State, by inducing some other officer to place in his hands funds to which he was not legally entitled, could appropriate the funds so received with perfect impunity, and without committing any crime or rendering his bondsmen liable. Thus a clerk of the circuit court could use without criminal liability any money, properly belonging to the clerk of the county court, or sheriff, provided he could convince the clerk or sheriff that he was entitled to its custody; and so with any officer of the State or county, and this could be done with perfect ease where the officers were well known to each other and strict business methods were not observed. Hence all the great wrong and injury of embezzlement can be committed, and all the gain and profit of it be secured, without violating the statute or rendering the officer liable to criminal prosecution. It would seem that the rogue must be stupid indeed who could not evade the crime of embezzlement." The man stopped, removed his spectacles, and closed them up in their case. He was a painstaking, honest servant of the commonwealth, and, like many others of the uncomplaining strong, performed his own duties and those of his careless companion without murmur or comment or hope of reward. The Honorable Ephraim Haines arose and drew himself up pompously. "I am glad," he said, "that we agree on this matter. I shall sustain this motion." The circuit judge smiled grimly. "Yes," he said, "it is not reason or justice, but it is the law." At twelve the following night Colonel Moseby Allen, ex-sheriff of the county of Gullmore, now acquitted of crime by the commonwealth, hurried across the border for the purpose of avoiding certain lawless demonstrations on the part of his countrymen,--and of all his acts of public service, this was the greatest. VII.--THE ANIMUS FURANDI _[See the case of State vs. Brown et al.% 104 Mo., 365; the strange case of Reuben Deal, 64 N. C., 270; also on all fours with the facts here involved, see Thompson vs. Commonwealth, 18 S. W. Rept., 3022; and the very recent case of The People vs. Hughes, 39 Pacific Rept., 492; also Rex vs. Hall, Bodens case, and others there cited, 2 Russell on Crimes.]_ I. I AM tired of your devilish hints, why can't you come out with it, man?" The speaker was half angry. Parks leaned forward on the table, his face was narrow and full of cunning. "Mystery is your long suit, Hogarth, I compliment you." "You tire me," said the man; "if you have any reason for bringing me here at this hour of the night I want to know it."