the
hall, down the steps, and into the shaded, trampled space that was known
as the court-house yard. Here he paused irresolutely. Across the way was
the gun-maker's shop, the weather-beaten sign came within range of
his vision, and the dingy white letters on their black ground spelled
themselves out. The words seemed to carry some message, for the judge,
with his eyes fixed on the sign as on some beacon of hope, plunged
across the dusty road and entered the shop.

At supper that night it was plain to both Mr. Mahaffy and Hannibal
that the judge was in a state of mind best described as beatific. The
tenderest consideration, the gentlest courtesy flowed from him as from
an unfailing spring; not that he was ever, even in his darkest hours,
socially remiss, but there was now a special magnificence to his manner
that bred suspicion in Mahaffy's soul. When he noted that the judge's
shoes were extremely dusty, this suspicion shaped itself definitely. He
was convinced that on the strength of his prospective fee the judge had
gone to Belle Plain, for what purpose Mr. Mahaffy knew only too well.

"It took you some time to get up that abstract, didn't it, Price?" he
presently said, with artful indirection.

"I shall go on with that in the morning, Solomon; my interest was
dissipated this evening," rejoined the judge.

"Looks as though you had devoted a good part of your time to
pedestrianism," suggested Mahaffy.

"Quite right, so I did, Solomon."

"Were you at Belle Plain?" demanded Mahaffy harshly and with a black
scowl. The judge had agreed to keep away from Belle Plain.

"No, Solomon, you forget our pact."

"Well, I am glad you remembered it."

They finished supper, the dishes were cleared away and the candles
lighted, when the judge produced a mysterious leather-covered case. This
he placed upon the table and opened, and Mahaffy and Hannibal, who had
drawn near, saw with much astonishment that it held a handsome pair of
dueling pistols, together with all their necessary paraphernalia.

"Where did you get 'em, Judge?--Oh, ain't they beautiful!" cried
Hannibal, circling about the table in his excitement.

"My dear lad, they were purchased only a few hours ago," said the judge
quietly, as he began to load them.

"For Heaven's sake, Price, do be careful!" warned Mahaffy, who had a
horror of pistols that extended to no other species of firearm.

"I shall observe all proper caution, Solomon," the judge assured him