ere jogging thither
betimes that morning on the red clay roads, all unimpeded by the deep
mud which, frozen into stiff ruts and ridges here and there, made the
way hazardous to the running-gear. The lagging winter had come, and the
ground was half covered with a light fall of snow.

The windows of the court-house were white with frost; the weighted doors
clanged continuously. An old codger, slowly ascending the steps, and
pushing into the semi-obscurity of the hall, paused as the door slammed
behind him, stared at the sheriff in surprise, then fixed him with a
bantering leer. The light that slanted through the open court-room
door fell upon the official's burly figure, his long red beard, his big
broad-brimmed hat pushed back from his laughing red face, consciously
ludicrous and abashed just now.

"Hev ye made a find?" demanded the newcomer.

For in the strong arms of the law sat, bolt-upright, Elnathan Daniel
Kittredge, his yellow head actively turning about, his face decorated
with a grin, and on most congenial terms with the sheriff.

"They're lawin' 'bout'n him in thar "--the sheriff jerked his thumb
toward the door. "_Habeas corpus_ perceedin's. Dun no ez I ever see a
friskier leetle cuss. Durned ef I 'ain't got a good mind ter run off
with him myself."

The said Elnathan Daniel Kittredge once more squirmed round and settled
himself comfortably in the hollow of the sheriff's elbow, who marvelled
to find himself so deft in holding him, for it was twenty years since
his son--a gawky youth who now affected the company at the saloon, and
was none too filial--was the age and about the build of this infant
Kittredge.

"They hed a reg'lar scrimmage hyar in the hall--them fool men--Quimbey
an' Kittredge. Old man Quimbey said suthin' ter Abs'lom Kittredge--I
dunno what all. Abs'lom never jawed back none. He jes made a dart an'
snatched this hyar leetle critter out'n his mother's arms, stiddier
waitin' fur the law, what he summonsed himself. Blest ef I didn't hev
ter hold my revolver ter his head, an' then crack him over the knuckles,
ter make him let go the child. I didn't want ter arrest him--mighty
clever boy, Abs'lom Kittredge! I promised that young woman I'd keep holt
o' the child till the law gins its say-so. I feel sorry fur her; she's
been through a heap."

"Waal, ye look mighty pritty, totin' him around hyar," his friend
encouraged him with a grin. "I'll say that fur ye--ye look mighty
pritty."

And in fa