"Well, look here, Put, I'll just convince you that you are damnably fooled if you think you can play me. I jest fine you two hundred and fifty dollars for contempt of court."
"You fine me for contempt of court? Why you natural born idiot, don't you know that your Court ain't in session, and you can't punish for contempt—either felt or expressed?"
"I can't, eh? Well, you jest see! I'll show a thing or two before I'm through with you!"
And they parted without saying good-bye, each going his way in wrath and bitterness of heart.
Next day the "Honorable Circuit Justice's court in and for the County of Tuolumne" was in session, and Old Put appeared for the plaintiff in a case, involving the possessory title to a piece of bottom land, on which an honest, rough and wholly unsophisticated son of Missouri, known as Pike, had been settled for a year or more cultivating vegetables, or "garden-truck," which he peddled around among the different mining camps. Some outsiders had jumped Pike's claim and held possession by force of arms in clear violation of right and law, and Pike had brought suit to eject them. When Put arose to open the case, he was promptly shut off by Judge Hollowbarn, who informed him that he was fined $250 for contempt of Court committed two days previously, and he could not say a word in that tribunal until the fine was paid. Old Put was in a towering rage, and he cursed and expostulated until he was black in the face, but justice personified by the Judge sat stern and impertur-
