Catching sight of the judge, he reined in his horse and swung himself from the saddle.
"I was hoping, sir, I might find you," he said, as they met before the tavern.
"A wish I should have echoed had I been aware of it!" responded the judge.

"I was about to do myself the honor to wait upon you at your plantation." "Then I have saved you a long walk," said Norton.

He surveyed the judge rather dubiously, but listened with great civility and kindness as he explained the business that would have taken him to Thicket Point.
"The house is quite at your service, sir," he said, at length.
"The rent--" began the judge.

He had great natural delicacy always in mentioning matters of a financial nature.
But Mr.Norton, with a delicacy equal to his own, entreated him not to mention the rent.

The house had come to him as boot in a trade.