gather, that particular line fence dispute had been in litigation for
twenty years, had cost several lives, and had resulted in a feud that
involved a whole township.

The testimony was about concluded when the colonel entered, and the
lawyers began their arguments. The feeling between the litigants
seemed to have affected their attorneys, and the court more than once
found it necessary to call counsel to order. The trial was finished,
however, without bloodshed; the case went to the jury, and court was
adjourned until two o'clock.

The colonel had never met Fetters, nor had he seen anyone in the court
room who seemed likely to be the man. But he had seen his name freshly
written on the hotel register, and he would doubtless go there for
dinner. There would be ample time to get acquainted and transact his
business before court reassembled for the afternoon.

Dinner seemed to be a rather solemn function, and except at a table
occupied by the judge and the lawyers, in the corner of the room
farthest from the colonel, little was said. A glance about the room
showed no one whom the colonel could imagine to be Fetters, and he was
about to ask the waiter if that gentleman had yet entered the dining
room, when a man came in and sat down on the opposite side of the
table. The colonel looked up, and met the cheerful countenance of the
liveryman from whom he had hired a horse and buggy some weeks before.

"Howdy do?" said the newcomer amiably. "Hope you've been well."

"Quite well," returned the colonel, "how are you?"

"Oh, just tol'able. Tendin' co't?"

"No, I came down here to see a man that's attending court--your friend
Fetters. I suppose he'll be in to dinner."

"Oh, yes, but he ain't come in yet. I reckon you find the ho-tel a
little different from the time you were here befo'."

"This is a better dinner than I got," replied the colonel, "and I
haven't seen the landlord anywhere, nor his buggy."

"No, he ain't here no more. Sad loss to Carthage! You see Bark
Fetters--that's Bill's boy that's come home from the No'th from
college--Bark Fetters come down here one day, an' went in the ho-tel,
an' when Lee Dickson commenced to put on his big airs, Bark cussed 'im
out, and Lee, who didn't know Bark from Adam, cussed 'im back, an'
then Bark hauled off an' hit 'im. They had it hot an' heavy for a
while. Lee had more strength, but Bark had more science, an' laid Lee
out col'. Then Bark went home an' tol' the ole man, wh