"Y'bet it does," was the emphatic reply. "An' a big purse, too, let me tell ye that. It's easy to git into trouble, but mighty hard to git out."
"Like them rats in that wire-trap, eh? But it should make a difference when a man has justice on his side."
"Seems to me, Abner, that justice depends upon the way ye look at it," Zeb replied. "Joe Preston thinks that his cause is just, an' so d'you. But it doesn't matter what you or Joe thinks. It's how the judge an' the jury will look at it. An' that depends upon——"
Zeb paused and looked thoughtfully at the horse.
"Upon what?" Abner anxiously enquired.
"Upon the way the case is presented. Now, you know a hull lot, Abner, an' kin spout like a force-pump when ye're settin' with me in the workshop. But when ye git up there in court ye'll find ye'r tongue's tied in a double-an'-twisted knot."
"Sure, sure," Abner agreed. "I've had the feelin' before, 'specially when I proposed to Tildy. I lost me tongue altogether that time. It was awful."
"Well, I'm afraid it'll be awfuller when ye'r called upon to defend ye'rself. Now, if ye had a smart lawyer to do it fer ye it 'ud make a great difference. I s'pose ye'r family felt pretty bad when ye left this mornin'?"
"Tildy an' Jess did, but Belle was as chipper as a sparrow. She didn't feel one bit put out, an' gave me strict instructions to give it to Rackshaw good an' hard."
"She doesn't understand, mebbe, what ye'r up aginst Abner. Ye see, she's never had to hustle fer herself or fight her way in the world. But ye'r wife an' Jess know somethin' about sich things."