During all the long days that followed, Mr. Yancy was forced to own that these titled friends of his were, despite their social position, uncommon white in their treatment of him.  The Earl of Lambeth consorted with him in that fine spirit that recognizes the essential brotherhood of man, while his Lady Countess was, as Yancy observed, on the whole, a person of simple and uncorrupted tastes.  She habitually went barefoot, both as a matter of comfort and economy, and she smoked her cob-pipe as did those other ladies of Lincoln County who had married into far less exalted stations than her own.  He put these simple survivals down to her native goodness of heart, which would not allow of her succumbing to mere pride and vainglory, for he no more doubted their narrative than they, doubted it themselves, which was not at all.

CHAPTER XIX

THE JUDGE SEES A GHOST

Charley Norton’s good offices did not end when he had furnished judge Price with a house, for Betty required of him that he should supply that gentleman with legal business as well.  When she pointed out the necessity of this, Norton demurred.  He had no very urgent need of a lawyer, and had the need existed, Slocum Price would not have been his choice.  Betty knit her brows.

“He must have a chance; perhaps if people knew you employed him it would give them confidence—­you must realize this, Charley; it isn’t enough that he has a house—­he can’t wear it nor eat it!”

“And fortunately he can’t drink it, either.  I don’t want to discourage you, but his looks are all against him, Betty.  If you take too great an interest in his concerns I am afraid you are going to have him permanently on your hands.”

“Haven’t you some little scrap of business that really doesn’t matter much, Charley?  You might try him—­just to please me—­” she persisted coaxingly.

“Well, there’s land I’m buying—­I suppose I could get him to look up the title, I know it’s all right anyhow,” said Norton, after a pause.

Thus it happened that judge Price, before he had been three days in Raleigh, received a civil note from Mr. Norton asking him to search the title to a certain timber tract held by one Joseph Quaid; a communication the effect of which was out of all proportion to the size of the fee involved.  The judge, powerfully excited, told Mahaffy he was being understood and appreciated; that the tide of prosperity was clearly setting his way; that intelligent foresight, not chance, had determined him when he selected Raleigh instead of Memphis.  Thereafter he spoke of Charley Norton only as “My client,” and exalted him for his breeding, wealth and position, refusing to admit that any man in the county was held in quite the same esteem.  All of which moved Mahaffy to flashes of grim sarcasm.