e of them sheep was the finest Southdown ram you ever laid
yer eye on. Monday morning before day I went out where my sheep was and
there was a little crippled lamb about a day old. I picked it up and
fotched it down to Elhannon's and drapped it over the fence into his
little pasture, where his sheep were. Then I went down and got that
constable and he come and executed on that ram. Elhannon killed and et
one of his sheep, then he paid me up and took his ram back. If I had a
thousand boys I wouldn't name narry dang one of them Elhannon. I got
another little case what comes up next fall in the Bell Circit Court,
'taint much. I low ter pay a good young lawyer about twenty five bucks
to git me off. 'Bout a month ago I shot Caleb Spencer as dead as a kit
mackrel. I was going over Salt Trace to the mill on the river. When I
got on top of the divide he raised up from behind a log about a hundred
yards off and drew a bead on me. I saw him jest before he pulled and I
dodged. The ball cut out this hole in my hat. I rid right peart, till I
come to Gabe Perkins' then I hopped off my mule and, borrowing his
Winchester, I come back the cut-off footpath. There set that
cold-blooded bush-whacker on the same log, looking down the road the way
I had kited, with his gun kinder restin' on his knees. I rested on a
stump and took him square in the middle of the back. He gave a yell and
jumped erbout five feet, but it was too late to jump. 'Taint nothing to
it, a plain case of self-defense and 'parent necessity. But if you stay
up in this country, I like yer looks and will give yer first chance on
that easy money."

"I thank you for the offer. It is worth at least five hundred dollars to
undertake your defense; as it is not a case of self-defense and apparent
necessity, as you seem to think. Much depends upon the jury in such a
case. You need a good lawyer who will be well acquainted with the panel,
else you may be sent to the penitentiary."

"Son, you've got a lot to larn yit. Man alive! You folks have talked so
much it's nigh erbout bed-time. Why that boy is asleep. Would you like
to turn in?"

CHAPTER II.

CORNWALL MEETS A MOUNTAIN MAID.

After breakfast, at which the men were first served, Mr. Rogers,
Cornwall, Mr. Saylor and Caleb, mounting their horses rode over Saylor's
three hundred-acre survey and examined the two coal banks on the
property; which only a short distance from the house had been opened and
worked about twe