“Howdy, judge,” says Magpie. “Set in on the bacon.”
“Ah!” says Ajax. “A judge. Are you an LL.B.?”
“Nope. Missourian and a stanch Republican.”
“Ah! It is refreshing to meet an educated man in the wilds. Where did you matriculate, may I ask?”
“Where did I what?”
“Matriculate.”
“I’m on my way to my mine, and I started from Piperock, if it’s anybody’s danged business.”
And then he turns to Magpie.
“Friend of yours?”
“Liability, judge. He’s trailing something that ain’t here nor never was.”