He was still sitting there when Kingdom-Come brought out a mint julep and arranged it on the table at his elbow. The colonel glanced up, conscious that the negro lingered. “What’s the matter, King?” he asked good-humoredly. “News from town, suh,” the black replied, flicking some dust off the table with his napkin. “Dey’s tried ter storm de jail, suh. De militia charged, an’ deyer’s been right smart shootin’.” Colonel Royall looked out apprehensively over the slope to the south which showed in the distance the spires and roofs of the city. A blue fog of smoke hung low over it and the horizon beyond had the haze of autumn. “Bad news,” said he, shaking his head. “It suttinly am, suh,” agreed Kingdom-Come, “an’ dey do say dat Aunt Charity ez gwine ter leave Juniper now fo’ sho.” “She’s left him at intervals for forty years,” said the colonel, tasting his julep; “I reckon he can stand it, King.” The negro grinned. “I reckon so, suh,” he assented. “Juniper dun said once dat he’d gib her her fare ef she’d go by rail an’ stay away!” Just then Miss Kitty Broughton stopped her pony cart at the gate and came across the lawn. The colonel rose ceremoniously and greeted her, hat in hand. “Where’s Diana?” Kitty asked eagerly. “In the rose garden with Jacob, my dear,” said the colonel. Kitty made a grimace. “_Noblesse oblige_,” she said; “I suppose I must stay here. Colonel, isn’t it all dreadful? Grandfather can’t keep from swearing, he isn’t respectable, and Aunt Sally has Sammy.” Kitty blushed suddenly. “I took Shot, the dog, you know; they won’t let Mr. Trench have bail.” “It’s the most inexplicable thing I know of,” said the colonel, stroking his white moustache. “Why Caleb Trench should shoot his own client--” Kitty stared. “Why, Colonel, you know, don’t you, that the arrest was made on Jacob Eaton’s affidavit?” Colonel Royall leaned back in his chair, and Kitty found his expression inexplicable. “How long have you known this?” he asked. “Since morning,” said Kitty promptly. “Grandpa told us; he’s furious, but he says it’s a good case. It seems Mr. Eaton saw Mr. Trench first in the court-room. The two shots were fired, you know, in quick succession. Juniper was seen by some one at the window just before; no one saw who fired the shots, but Mr. Eaton met Caleb Trench leaving the room. No one else was there, and Mr. Trench says that Juniper did not fire the shots. Juniper is half dead with fright, and in the jail hospital; he went out of his head this morning when the mob tried to rush the jail. It’s awful; they say six people were killed and three wounded.” “Caleb Trench wounded two last night,” said the colonel. He had the air of a man in a dream. “They won’t die,” replied Kitty, cold-bloodedly, “and it’s a good thing to stop these lynchers. Wasn’t Mr. Trench grand? I’m dying to go and see him and tell him how I admired the account of him facing the mob. What does Di think?”