"Yes, sir, I shall make the figure commensurate with the poignant grief I feel.

He was my friend and client--" The moisture gathered in his eyes.
"I should think that fifty dollars was nearer to being your figure," suggested the cautious Mahaffy.
"Inadequate and most insulting," said the judge.
"Well, where do you expect to get five thousand dollars ?" cried Mahaffy in a tone of absolute exasperation.
"Where would I get fifty ?" inquired the judge mildly.
For once Mahaffy frankly owned himself beaten.

A gleam of admiration lit up his glance.
"Price, you have a streak of real greatness!" he declared.
Before the day was over it was generally believed that the judge was wearing his gag with humility; interest in him declined, still the public would have been grateful for a sight of that letter.
"Shucks, he's nothing but an old windbag!" said Mr.Pegloe to a group of loungers gathered before his tavern in the early evening.
As he spoke, the judge's door opened and that gentleman appeared on his threshold with a lighted candle in each hand.

Glancing neither to the right nor the left he passed out and up the street.

Not a breath of wind was blowing and the flames of the two candles burnt clear and strong, lighting up his stately advance.
At the corner of the court-house green stood a row of locust hitching posts.