The judge
recovered himself first, and quickly filled his glass, leaving but one
more measure in the decanter. This measure Yancey immediately emptied
into his own person, as perhaps the only place where it would be
entirely safe from the treacherous thirst of the judge.
Fitz read in their faces these mental processes, and was more determined
than ever to break up at once what he called "the settlement."
"Are you sho', Colonel," inquired Ker-foot, catching at straws, "that
the coal lands lie entirely on yo' father's property? Does not the
Barbour lan' jine yo's on the hill?"
"I am not positively sho', suh, but I have always understood that what
we call the coal hills belonged to my father. You see," said the
colonel, turning to the agent, "this grade of wild lan' is never
considered of much value with us, and a few hundred acres mo' or less
is never insisted on among old families of our standin' whose estates
jine."
Yancey expanded his vest, and said authoritatively that he was quite
sure the coal hills were on the Barbour property.
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