“I was at dinner at old man Steel’s boarding-house. It was the first table and it was chock-full. This man come in--he was a boarder there too--and wanted to find a place, and growled because he couldn’t get none. Then one of Mr. Steel’s gals who was waiting at table told him he must wait till his turn, till there was room. Wal’, he says something sassy to her, and she up and slaps a cup of coffee she had in her hand right in his face. Then he begun to get up on his ear about it, and so two or three of the young fellows at table jest fired him out.” The judge, who was sitting reflectively on the waggon-box, with his head on his hand, here interposed. “Did they hit him or pound him at all?” “No,” answered the witness, “not nohow. They jest took him by the shoulders and jest naturally fired him out’n the door. He’d had a drink or two in him, you know, though he warn’t drunk.” “What did he do then?” asked one of the jury. “Went off, I reckon,” said the witness. “I didn’t see no more of him.” “Did Mr. Steel have anything to do with turning him out?” asked the judge. “No, sir. He warn’t thar’; he was in the inner room, I reckon.” “Did you see the shooting?” asked the judge. “No, sir, I went off to my work as soon as dinner was over,” was the reply. “Mr. Tallboys, do you wish to ask this witness any questions?” said the judge to the prisoner’s lawyer. The lawyer conferred a minute with his client, and then said to the court that he didn’t wish to cross-examine this man. The witness, a young carpenter, was accordingly told he could go, which he did with an air of very considerable relief, mingling at once with the crowd. Another man was now brought forward and sworn like the first. “Were you with Mr. Steel after dinner?” asked the judge. “Yes,” said the witness, “I was.” “Tell the jury what happened.” “Mr. Steel and I were unloading a load of lumber I’d brought for him. He was at one end of the pile, I was at the other, and we were lifting the boards off the waggon. Suddenly I saw the prisoner come up behind Mr. Steel, and I heard him say, ‘I want to talk to you.’” “Was the prisoner alone?” asked a juryman. “I didn’t see anyone, not to say actually with him. There were two or three men standing together across the street, but I don’t know for certain as they had anything to do with him.” “What did Mr. Steel say?” asked the judge.