Well, this was life.

One could only claim time as it was doled out by clock ticks; we planned for the years and could not be certain of the moments.
He spent two entire days at the church and in the surrounding woods, nor did any one describe the murder with the vividness he achieved in his description of it.

The minister's narrative was pale and colorless by comparison, and those who came from a distance went away convinced that they had talked with an eyewitness to the tragedy and esteemed themselves fortunate.

In short, he imposed himself on the situation with such brilliancy that in the end his account of the murder became the accepted version from which all other versions differed to their discredit.
In the same magnificent spirit of public service he would have assumed the direction of the search for the murderer, but Mr.Betts' jealousy proved an obstacle to his ambitious design.

In view of this he was regretful, but not surprised when the hard-ridden miles covered by dusty men and reeking horses yielded only failure.
"If I had shot that poor boy, I wouldn't ask any surer guarantee of safety than to have that fool Betts with his microscopic brain working in unhampered asininity on the case," he told Mahaffy.
"Is it your idea that you are enlarging your circle of intimate friends by the way you go about slamming into folks ?" inquired Mahaffy, with harsh sarcasm.
Later, the judge was shocked at what he characterized as official apathy.