ct the merriment in the hall at the sheriff's expense began
to grow so exhilarating as to make him feel that the proceedings within
were too interesting to lose. His broad red face with its big red beard
reappeared in the doorway--slightly embarrassed because of the sprightly
manners of his charge, who challenged to mirth every eye that glanced at
him by his toothful grin and his gurgles and bounces; he was evidently
enjoying the excitement and his conspicuous position. He manfully
gnawed at his corn-dodger from time to time, and from the manner in
which he fraternized with his new acquaintance, the sheriff, he seemed
old enough to dispense with maternal care, and, but for his incomplete
methods of locomotion, able to knock about town with the boys. The
Quimbeys took note of his mature demeanor with sinking hearts; they
looked anxiously at the judge, wondering if he had ever before seen
such precocity--anything so young to be so old: "He 'ain't never afore
'peared so survigrus--so _durned survigrus_ ez he do ter-day," they
whispered to each other.

"Yes, sir," his father was saying, on examination, "year old. Eats
anything he kin git--cabbage an' fat meat an' anything. _Could_ walk if
he wanted ter. But he 'ain't been raised right"--he glanced at his wife
to observe the effect of this statement. He felt a pang as he noted her
pensive, downcast face, all tremulous and agitated, overwhelmed as she
was by the crowd and the infinite moment of the decision. But Absalom,
too, had his griefs, and they expressed themselves perversely.

"He hev been pompered an' fattened by bein' let ter eat an' sleep so
much, till he be so heavy ter his self he don't wanter take the trouble
ter get about. He _could_ walk ennywhar. He's plumb survigrus."

And as if in confirmation, the youthful Kittredge lifted his voice to
display his lung power. He hilariously babbled, and suddenly roared out
a stentorian whoop, elicited by nothing in particular, then caught the
sheriff's beard, and buried in it his conscious pink face.

The judge looked gravely up over his spectacles. He had a bronzed
complexion, a serious, pondering expression, a bald head, and a gray
beard. He wore a black broadcloth suit, somewhat old-fashioned in cut,
and his black velvet waist-coat had suffered an eruption of tiny
red satin spots. He had great respect for judicial decorums, and no
Kittredge, however youthful, or survigrus, or exalted in importance
by _habeas corpus_ p