r, I was not in any one certain spot, directly, but indirectly,
I was jest beginnin' to--"

"State where you was at!" thundered Budlong.

"Well, sir, jest at the time of this difficulty, I was jest beginning to
take a nap--"

"Do you mean to say that you was asleep?"

"Not directly, Jedge, but--"

[Illustration: "W'y, Jedge, you know my name."]

"Where was you when the damn lie passed?"

"Jest beginning to move."

"Did you see Doctor Hissong draw a pistol?"

"No, sir, not directly."

"Did you hear a shot?"

"Yes, sir."

"Where was you then?"

"Ramblin' away, sir."

"What do you mean by _ramblin' away_?"

"Runnin', flyin', hittin' the dust."

"Then you don't know who fired first?"

"No, sir, not directly."

"Call Jerry McManus," said Budlong. A red-faced, jovial-looking Irishman
took the chair.

"Where were you when this trouble started, Jerry?"

"Under a sycamore tree, asleep."

"Had you been drinkin'?"

"Yis, sor, thot is to say, accordin' to the liberties av a mon injoyin'
the soshabilities av good company."

"Did you hear the _dam lie_ pass?"

"No, sor, I heard no footsteps av iny sort."

"Did you hear a shot from where you lay?"

"There wor no shot from where I lay. If there wor iny shot from where I
lay, thin I wor already half-shot."

"Wasn't you in a state of intoxication?"

"I wor in the state of Kintucky."

"Stand aside," said Budlong, "Call the next witness." One by one the
witnesses gave their testimony, varying according to the friendly
feeling for the men on trial. At last, Budlong said, "Call Brad
Jackson." Old Brad got in the witness chair and gazed listlessly at the
ceiling.

"Brad, was you present when this difficulty started?"

"No, sah."

"Where was you?"

"In de grove, eatin' soup."

"Where was you when the lie passed?"

"On my way to Doctor Hissong."

"State to the jury what you know about this case."

"Yassir, genelmun, hit remine me uv de time when Kernel Poindexter an'
Mistah Fontaine had a quarrel ovah a fox-chase down in Baton-Rouge--"

"Confine yourself to the case," said Budlong.

"Yassir, thankee, Jedge, en Kernel Poindexter he 'low dat his dawg,
Watercress wuz in de lead, full yelp at de crossin' 'buv de bayou--"

"I don't care nothin' about that fox-chase," shouted Budlong, "You tell
the court what you know about this case."

"Yassir, I'm tryin' to, Marse Jim--en Mistah Brandon Fontaine, you know,
he want one er de ole quality in da