A sly tap at the door.

“Come in.”

The door slyly opened, and a short, shaggy individual entered.

“How do you do, Jedge Mike?” This was uttered in a whining
but conciliating tone, and after first a low bow, then a sudden lifting up.

“Why, Sanks, how are you? Take a seat, take a seat.”

Mr. Sanks took a seat, after being assured that he was not `a intrudin'.
' “Busy as I war, Sunday night as it air, with a fixin' of all my
papers — and — dockiments as it war, I must, I must, positively I must
come by for a minnit, ef jes to tell the Jedge how'd-ye and to ax about
his health and the likewise health of his family. I also likewise air
glad to see Mr. Sandidge a lookin' so well, and as it war ready for the
cote.”

Mr. John Sanks was the sheriff. Two years ago he had beaten
Mr. Triplet, an elderly man and an old inhabitant of Dukesborough,
in the race for the sheriffalty. A poor fellow was Sanks; but having
got into office by a trick, he had hopes of a long and prosperous official
career. Like the Judge, he owed his greatness to Mr. Sandidge, and
therefore belonged to him. Such a sheriff as he was a valuable piece
of property to such a lawyer. But then Mr. Sandidge was a kind
master, and had never put upon his man a service which the latter
was not fully willing to perform. Then he got his pay in many ways
besides in being elevated to the great office of keeper of the county.

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But oh, how glad Mr. Sanks was to see his Honor! and not only so,
but also likewise to see him lookin' so well. Mr. Sanks called Mr.
Sandidge's attention to the glorious fact that the Judge got younger
and younger every court.

“And I am glad to see you too, Sanks. You look, Sanks, you look
right well yourself. All's well, I hope. Everything ready for court —
eh, Sanks?”

“Oh yes, sir. People seems to 'spect a oncommon interestin' cote.
Thar's a power o' business — dockets is right heavy.”

“How are you up with your matters, Sanks? No money rules this
term, I hope?”

Mr. Sanks looked a little timidly at Mr. Sandidge, who answered
for him.

“Oh, you are safe in that matter, aint you, Sanks? Oh yes, Judge,
I think so. As a general thing Sanks keeps up with them things.”
Mr. S. never wore a prettier smile.

“Ah!” put in Mr. Sanks, reassured. “As long as things is as they
air now, I can git along reasonable well. Tryin' to be 'onest myself,
havin' of a 'onest counsellor, and also likewise havin' of a 'onest judge,
I can git along farly as things is; that is, ef they don't git changed.”
Mr. Sanks looked suspicious.

“Things get changed? What do you mean?” inquired the Judge.

“Well,” continued Mr. Sanks, in a mournful voice, “some people
looks as ef they can't be satisfied with things as they is, and wants 'em
defferent. Some wants defferent lawyers, and also likewise some goes
so fur as to say they wants defferent jedges.” And Mr. Sanks did look
so sad in the contemplation of the unreasonableness of the world.

“Wants different judges, eh?” His Honor's expression was one of
contempt, not unmixed with anger and apprehension.

“Well, now, they aint no great numbers of people o' that sort in the
county. It's mostly with them people down about Dukesborough, whar
old Triplet lives. Them Dukesborough people has jest run mad about
Dukesborough, and also likewise thinks it's a bigger place than this
here county-seat. They goes so fur sometimes as to say that the Cotehouse
ought to be moved thar. After a while they'll be thinkin' it'll
be as big as Augusty.” Mr. Sanks laughed immoderately, but not
loudly; and as Mr. Sandidge smiled, he looked grateful and kept on
laughing. The Judge could not see the joke, and Mr. Sanks grew
serious again.

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“Yes, it's the Dukesborough people. Don't you see, Jedge, and
also likewise you, Mr. Sandidge, I beat old Triplet for sheriff. John
Sanks air known to be for Jedge Mike for jedge at next election above
and agin — the multiplied world!” It was terrible to witness the
violence with which this defiant conclusion was uttered. The multiplied
world might have been there and welcome to hear it.

“Yes, sir, above and agin the multiplied world! And then you see,
Jedge, thar's that young fellow, Mobley. The Dukesborough people's
proud of him. He was raised thar, you know; and also likewise they
goes on to say that he air a bigger man than what even Mr. Sandidge
air, or leastways he air goin' to be, and that in short. Then agin, this
fellow have been puttin' in their heads that we ought to have a new
jedge, and he also likewise air been talkin' about another sort of a cote
that can sas sarire proceedances and carry cases yit higher. But I tells
'em they better be satisfied with things as they air; and so likewise
they're agin me at my next election, and swear they intend to beat me
with old Triplet yit. I don't keer about thar threats about what they
can do to me. Yit I hates to lose my office jest for bein' of a friend
to things as they is. It war no longer than last night I told my wife,
says I, Sylvy, says I, I don't keer so much about the office myself, says
I, but because also likewise I know it air mostly aimed and pinted,
says I, at Jedge Mike and Mr. Sandidge, says I, which is my friends,
and which I would go fur all things above and agin, says I, the multiplied
world, says I. Them's the very words I said to Sylvy, no longer
than last night.”

The artful fellow knew well how to strengthen both himself and
Sandidge with the Judge. The lawyer smiled with sincere pleasure
at the sight of the increased prejudice of Judge Mike against Mr.
Mobley, whom, as we shall see, he had some reason to respect more
highly than he pretended. Mr. Sandidge admitted that the pernicious
ideas of Mr. Mobley had somewhat infected the Dukesborough people;
that is, not all — some of them; he, Mr. Sandidge, had some clients
among the Dukesborough people, and he was pretty sure that they were
right on the judge question. Still, there was a considerable sprinkling
(as he expressed it) of Dukesborough people in favor of some changes.

When the visitors had retired, the Judge sat for a long time looking
gloomily into the fire. “That's the way,” he muttered at length.
“They go to their colleges, learn their Latin and their Greek and their
Algebry, and then git above their sizes, and come home and git

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impudent to old people, and even want to be so to — to me. But they shan't
do it. I mean to — sq-uelch 'em.” And then his Honor went to bed.

Thereupon Messrs. Sandidge and Sanks had some confidential chat
before separating for the night. Among other things the sheriff ascertained
that the lawyer would like to avoid the trial of the Rickles case at
this term of the court. Mr. Sandidge on the other hand was made acquainted
with the fact that that young fellow, Mobley, would probably
apply for a money rule against Mr. Sanks, for which the latter feared
he could not make a satisfactory showing, and which also likewise he
would probably need — leastways — oh, cert'inly, cert'inly — providin'—
ahem! Mr. Sanks never had communicated important information
more delicately.

The night was cloudy, though it was the season of the full moon.
The latter shone suddenly as they stopped at the corner where they
were to separate. The lawyer looked down for a moment upon the
sheriff, and the sheriff looked up to the lawyer, and the white moon
looked upon both. It seemed a poor sight for all; so the moon retired,
and each of the other two slunk away to his home.