Two days later we went down to Vallejo to the trial. I had to go
along as a witness, and it was the most hateful task that I ever
performed in my life when I testified on the witness stand to
seeing Demetrios catch the two salmon Charley had captured him
with.
Demetrios had engaged a lawyer, but his case was hopeless. The
jury was out only fifteen minutes, and returned a verdict of
guilty. The judge sentenced Demetrios to pay a fine of one hundred
dollars or go to jail for fifty days.
Charley stepped up to the clerk of the court. "I want to pay that
fine," he said, at the same time placing five twenty-dollar gold
pieces on the desk. "It--it was the only way out of it, lad," he
stammered, turning to me.
The moisture rushed into my eyes as I seized his hand. "I want to
pay--" I began.
"To pay your half?" he interrupted. "I certainly shall expect you
to pay it."
In the meantime Demetrios had been informed by his lawyer that his
fee likewise had been paid by Charley.
Demetrios came over to shake Charley's hand, and all his warm
Southern blood flamed in his face.
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