There must be something up." He advanced to meet the visitors.

"Good morning, gentlemen.

Light down, and come in." All four got down, shook hands with Dunwody, gave their reins to servants, and joined him on his invitation to enter.

Jamieson was known to all of them.
"Well, Colonel Dunwody," began the Honorable William Jones, "you didn't expect to see us so soon, did you?
Reckon you'd ought to be all the gladder.
"You live here, my dear Colonel," he continued, looking about him, "in much the same state and seclusion remarked by Mr.Gibbon in his immortal work on the _Decline and Fall of Rome_--where he described the castles of them ancient days, located back in the mountainous regions.

But it ain't no Roman road you've got, out thar." "I was going to remark," interrupted Judge Clayton, "that Colonel Dunwody has anticipated all the modern requirements of hospitality as well as embodied all those of ancient sort.