If it had
not been for Major Tom Yancey, Jedge Kerfoot, and myself there would
have been a lawsuit."
Fitz lay back in his chair and roared.
"And they did not hang the colonel?"
"Hang a Talcott! No, suh; we don't hang gentlemen down our way. Jedge
Kerfoot vehy properly charged the coroner's jury that it was a matter
of self-defense, and Colonel Talcott was not detained mo' than haalf
an hour."
The colonel stopped, unlocked a closet in the sideboard, and produced
a black bottle labeled in ink, "Old Cherry Bounce, 1848."
"You must excuse me, gentlemen, but the discussion of these topics has
quite unnerved me. Allow me to share with you a thimbleful." Fitz
drained his glass, cast his eyes upward, and said solemnly, "To the
repose of the postmaster's soul."
CHAPTER II
_The Garden Spot of Virginia seeks an Outlet to the Sea_
Chad was just entering the small gate which shut off the underground
passage when I arrived opposite the colonel's cozy quarters. I had
come to listen to the details of that booming enterprise with the
epidemic proclivities, the discussion of which had been cut short by
the length of time it had taken to kill the postmaster the night before.
Pages:
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35