He offered no further explanation and Settle asked for none. At the grounds the smaller tents were all up--there was quite a little dirty-white encampment of them--and just as they drove up the roof of the main tent rose to the tops of its center poles, bellying and billowing like a stage sea in the second act of Monte Cristo. Along the near edge of the common, negro men were rigging booths with planks for counters and sheets for awnings, and negro women were unpacking the wares that would presently be spread forth temptingly against the coming of the show crowds--fried chicken and slabs of fried fish, and ham and pies and fried apple turnovers. Leaving Settle checking the restive mare, the old judge made his way across the sod, already scuffed and dented by countless feet. A collarless, redfaced man, plainly a functionary of some sort, hurried toward him, and the judge put himself in this man's path. “Are you connected with this institution, suh?” he asked. “Yes,” said the man shortly, but slowing his gait. “So I judged from your manner and deportment, suh,” said the judge. “I'm lookin',” he went on, “for your proprietor.” “Silver? He's over yonder by the cookhouse.” “The which?” asked the judge. “The cookhouse--the dining tent,” explained the other, pointing. “Right round yonder beyond that second stake wagon--where you see smoke rising. But he's likely to be pretty busy.” Behind the second stake wagon the judge found a blocky, authoritative man, with a brown derby hat tilted back on his head and heavy-lidded eyes like a frog's, and knew him at once for the owner; but one look at the face made the judge hesitate. He felt that his was a lost cause already; and then the other opened his mouth and spoke, and Judge Priest turned on his heel and came away. The judge was reasonably well seasoned to sounds of ordinary profanity, but not to blasphemy that seemed to loose an evil black smudge upon the clean air. He came back to the buggy and climbed in. “See your man?” asked Settle. “Yes,” said the judge slowly, “I saw him.”