OLD BILL SMITH, THE SILENT HUNTER. 219 



of the case as nearly as he could without detailing his own 

 share in the plot, — which was entirely unnecessary, as his ob- 

 ject had been to further the cause of justice and humanity 

 by punishing this monster morally, if it could not be done 

 legally, — and then exhibiting the boy to the jury, declared the 

 bond of indenture to be forfeited, and that Saunders should 

 be found in costs of suit, and compelled to give security for 

 the support and education of the boy until he was eighteen. 



Such was the eventful opening of the public career of 

 "Billy," as poor Mattie called him. When we next hear of 

 him he was a gay, voluble, dashing young lawyer, successful 

 in his first case, and indeed in almost every other to which 

 he put his hand. The old Judge, his adopted father, had 

 retired from the bench upon a handsome competency, and 

 though now very decrepid, could not resist the gratification 

 of listening to the forensic triumphs of his " pet nursling of 

 the cow-troughs," as he used to term William, humorously. 

 Whenever William had an interesting case on hand, the old 

 man's carriage was invariably seen to roll up to the court 

 house door, and he to hobble in on crutches, when the duti- 

 ful young man was instantly at his side to assist him up the 

 accustomed steps to the old accustomed chair, which still held 

 its place for his occasional accommodation. After seeing him 

 comfortably seated, and his gouty feet adjusted with scrupulous 

 care, would return with redoubled energy to his case. 



It was always noticed that when the venerable ex-judge 

 was present, the face of the young lawyer flushed with anxious 

 excitement, and then he made his very happiest efibrts, and 

 carrying everything before him by the impetuous vehemence 

 of his oratory, never lost a case ; and the father and patron, 

 in one, would sit with half closed eyes, in a sort of rapt 

 ecstacy of enjoyment, while his lips occasionally moved in 

 unconscious approval as the young man let off" his happier 

 hits. Smith soon became exceedingly popular, and his clients 

 learned to avail their causes of this noble trait of Smith, in 



