“Who was he?” asked the judge. “Nobody knew, and he wasn't conscious. I shouldn't be surprised if he never opens his lips again. When the doctor had looked to his cuts, the fellow on the raft cast off and went on down the Elk.” It occurred to the judge that he himself had news to impart. He must account for the boy's presence. “While you've been taking your whiff of life down at the steamboat landing, Mahaffy, I've been experiencing a most extraordinary coincidence.” The judge paused. By a sullen glare in his deep-sunk eyes Mr. Mahaffy seemed to bid him go on. “Back east--” the judge jerked his thumb with an indefinite gesture “back east at my ancestral home--” Mahaffy snorted harshly. “You don't believe I had an ancestral home?--well, I had! It was of brick, sir, with eight Corinthian columns across the front, having a spacious paneled hall sixty feet long. I had the distinguished honor to entertain General Andrew Jackson there.” “Did you get those dimensions out of the jug?” inquiry Mahaffy, with a frightful bark that was intended for a sarcastic laugh. “Sir, it is not in your province to judge me by my present degraded associates. Near the house I have described--my father's and his father's before him, and mine now--but for the unparalleled misfortunes which have pursued me--lived a family by the name of Hazard. And when I went to the war of '12--” “What were you in that bloody time, a sutler?” inquired Mahaffy insultingly. “No, sir--a colonel of infantry!--I say, when I went to the war, one of these Hazards accompanied me as my orderly. His grandson is back of that curtain now--asleep--in my bed!” Mahaffy put down his glass. “You were like this once before,” he said darkly. But at that instant the shuck tick rattled noisily at some movement of the sleeping boy. Mahaffy quitted his chair, and crossing the room, drew the quilt aside. A glance sufficed to assure him that in part, at least, the judge spoke the truth. He let the curtain fall into place and resumed his chair. “He's an orphan, Solomon; a poor, friendless orphan. Another might have turned him away from his door--I didn't; I hadn't the heart to. I bespeak your sympathy for him.” “Who is he?” asked Mahaffy. “Haven't I just told you?” said the judge reproachfully. Mahaffy laughed. “You've told me something. Who is he?” “His name is Hannibal Wayne Hazard. Wait until he wakes up and see if it isn't.” “Sure he isn't kin to you?” said Mahaffy. “Not a drop of my blood flows in the veins of any living creature,” declared the judge with melancholy impressiveness. He continued with deepening feeling, “All I shall leave to posterity is my fame.” “Speaking of posterity, which isn't present, Mr. Price, I'll say it is embarrassed by the attention,” observed Mahaffy.