The colonel went upstairs to the court room. It was fairly well
filled, and he remained standing for a few minutes near the entrance.
The civil docket was evidently on trial, for there was a jury in the
box, and a witness was being examined with some prolixity with
reference to the use of a few inches of land which lay on one side or
on the other of a disputed boundary. From what the colonel could
gather, that particular line fence dispute had been in litigation for
twenty years, had cost several lives, and had resulted in a feud that
involved a whole township.
The testimony was about concluded when the colonel entered, and the
lawyers began their arguments. The feeling between the litigants
seemed to have affected their attorneys, and the court more than once
found it necessary to call counsel to order. The trial was finished,
however, without bloodshed; the case went to the jury, and court was
adjourned until two o'clock.
The colonel had never met Fetters, nor had he seen anyone in the court
room who seemed likely to be the man. But he had seen his name freshly
written on the hotel register, and he would doubtless go there for
dinner. There would be ample time to get acquainted and transact his
business before court reassembled for the afternoon.
Dinner seemed to be a rather solemn function, and except at a table
occupied by the judge and the lawyers, in the corner of the room
farthest from the colonel, little was said.
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