counter-comment to their heated descriptive analysis of himself; he
troubled himself to make no denials.

"I'll tell my yarn to the judge," he said, and walked to jail with his
captors in friendliest fashion.

These circumstances, coupled with the deputy's experienced dislike for
the complaining witnesses and a well-grounded unofficial joy at their
battered state, won favor for the prisoner. The second floor of the jail
was crowded with a noisy and noisome crew. Johnson was taken to the third
floor, untenanted save for himself, and ushered into a quiet and pleasant
corner cell, whence he might solace himself by a view of the street and
the courthouse park. Further, the deputy ministered to Mr. Johnson's
hurts with water and court-plaster, and a beefsteak applied to a bruised
and swollen eye. He volunteered his good offices as a witness in the moot
matter of intoxication and in all ways gave him treatment befitting an
honored guest.

"Now, what else?" he said. "You can't get a hearing until to-morrow; the
justice of the peace is out of town. Do you know anybody here? Can you
give bail?"

"Ya-as, I reckon so. But I won't worry about that till to-morrow. Night
in jail don't hurt any one."

"If I can do anything for you, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you kindly, I'll take you up on that. Just let me think up a
little."