"Hello! You look like you'd seen a ghost!" "It's the heat in here--I reckon--" said the judge, and began to mop his face.
"Ever seen the colonel before ?" asked Mr.Saul curiously.
"Who is he ?" "Well, sir, he's one of our leading planters, and a mighty fine lawyer." "Has he always lived here ?" "No, he came into the county about ten years ago, and bought a place called The Oaks, over toward the river." "Has he--has he a family ?" The judge appeared to be having difficulty with his speech.
"Not that anybody knows of.

Some say he's a widower, others again say he's an old bachelor; but he don't say nothing, for the colonel is as close as wax about his own affairs.

So it's pure conjecture, sir." There was a brief silence.

"The county has its conundrums, and the colonel's one of them," resumed Mr.Saul.
"Yes ?" said the judge.
"The colonel's got his friends, to be sure, but he don't mix much with the real quality." "Why not ?" asked the judge.
"He's apparently as high-toned a gentleman as you'd meet with anywhere; polished, sir, so smooth your fingers would slip if you tried to take hold of him, but it's been commented on that when a horsethief or counterfeiter gets into trouble the colonel's always first choice for counsel." "Get's 'em off, does he ?" The judge spoke somewhat grimly.
"Mighty nigh always.

But then he has most astonishing luck in the matter of witnesses.