"When, oh when, do I need you—
And the friendship you pretend?
When is a friend most needed—
When is a friend, a friend?"
Poor fellow! He certainly presented the appearance of one in the most abject misery. I knew, of course, that he was in a tight box, and he, too, seemed to recognize this fact and appreciate the seriousness of his position. Thinking that to remain there much longer would only add torture to his soul, I remarked, as I was on the point of turning away:
"Fred, if I can do anything for you, let me know."
"Do for me?" was his anxious rejoinder; "that, Steve, is the question—what can be done?"
"Well," I replied, "my suggestion is that you tell me in advance just what you have done to date, and your plans for the future, and then, perhaps, I can be of some service to you."
"Up to the time the Mealey boys deserted me," he replied, "I did nothing, except, of course, to consult with them. Since they turned against me, I have talked with a number of my personal friends, all of whom had something different to offer, until I have reached the stage where I do not know whether I am afoot or horseback."
"That being the case," said I, "the only advice I can offer for the present is, that you lock yourself up—in your basement, if need be—but at all events, where you will be alone and away from your so-called friends. The truth is, Kribs, you have listened to them altogether too much already, and your frank admission that you don't know which way to turn is sufficient evidence of that fact. Get away from them, my boy, and stay away, and revolve this whole thing over in the privacy of your own mind, for you, and you alone, can and must prescribe the remedy. You can do this, Kribs; I know you can, and for your own sake you must do it!"
"But what is it I must do?" inquired Kribs.
"You must protect yourself!"
"But how?"
"By telling all you know."
"About myself?"
"Yes, Kribs, about yourself—and about others."
"What others?"
"The officials of the Roseburg Land Office, and Senator Mitchell—more particularly the latter. You know, Fred., that you absolutely ran the Register and Receiver of that office for over two years, and as for Senator Mitchell, to my certain knowledge, you paid him large sums of money, every dollar of which must be accounted for by you, if you hope for immunity."
"Impossible! Simply impossible for me to do it," said Kribs. "If I turn informant against these men who have stood by me, I might just as well commit suicide, so far as my business is concerned, as you know, I could never go back and face Smith, of Minneapolis, and other millionaire lumbermen of Minnesota and Wisconsin, for whom I have purchased lands, with such a record standing against me. No, Steve, I cannot do what you suggest; it would mean my ruin—my complete ruin. My friends would leave me—my business would follow in the wake."
"If you look at it that way," I replied, "all well and good; but be mindful of yourself—I give you fair warning; be mindful of yourself; It has come to a pass, you know, wherein self-preservation becomes your first duty.
"These men, who appeared before Burns, swore falsely as a unit, until Houser and Nicholls confessed everything, when they all flocked back to Government headquarters and begged for mercy. They repudiated their first statements, and asked for permission to make new affidavits. This was granted, and
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