Briscoe and Tom Meredith made their way through the crowd, and climbed
into the buckboard. "All right, Lige," called the judge to Willetts, who
was at the horses' heads. "You go get into line with the boys; they want
you. We'll go down on Main Street to see the parade," he explained to the
ladies, gathering the reins in his hand.
He clucked to the roans, and by dint of backing and twisting and turning
and a hundred intricate manoeuvres, accompanied by entreaties and
remonstrances and objurgations, addressed to the occupants of surrounding
vehicles, he managed to extricate the buckboard from the press; and once
free, the team went down the road toward Main Street at a lively gait. The
judge's call to the colts rang out cheerily; his handsome face was one
broad smile. "This is a big day for Carlow," he said; "I don't remember a
better day's work in twenty years."
"Did you tell him about Mr. Halloway?" asked Helen, leaning forward
anxiously.
"Warren told him before we left the car," answered Briscoe. "He'd have
declined on the spot, I expect, if we hadn't made him sure it was all
right with Kedge."
"If I understood what Mr. Smith was saying, Halloway must have behaved
very well," said Meredith.
The judge laughed. "He saw it was the only way to beat McCune, and he'd
have given his life and Harkless's, too, rather than let McCune have it."
"Why didn't you stay with him, Tom?" asked Helen.
"With Halloway? I don't know him."
"One forgives a generous hilarity anything, even such quips as that," she
retorted. "Why did you not stay with Mr. Harkless?"
"That's very hospitable of you," laughed the young man. "You forget that I
have the felicity to sit at your side. Judge Briscoe has been kind enough
to ask me to review the procession from his buckboard and to sup at his
house with other distinguished visitors, and I have accepted."
"But didn't he wish you to remain with him?"
"But this second I had the honor to inform you that I am here distinctly
by his invitation."
"His?"
"Precisely, his. Judge Briscoe, Miss Sherwood will not believe that you
desire my presence. If I intrude, pray let me--" He made as if to spring
from the buckboard, and the girl seized his arm impatiently.
"You are a pitiful nonsense-monger!" she cried; and for some reason this
speech made him turn his glasses upon her gravely. Her lashes fell before
his gaze, and at that he took her hand and kissed it quickly.