Red Rock: A Chronicle of Reconstruction

by Thomas Nelson Page

  CHAPTER XXXVII

  IN WHICH IT IS SHOWN THAT, IN A TRIAL, COUNSEL MAY ASK ONE QUESTION TOOMANY

  When the Court met, at which the trial of Jacquelin’s suit againstHiram Still was set, all other matters, even politics, were driven frommind.

  It will not be needful to go in detail into the trial of the case. Theexamination of the plaintiffs’ witnesses occupied two days. In thecontest the defendant, to use the phraseology of another arena, wasacknowledged to have “drawn first blood.” On the morning of the trialthe two sides, with their counsel, witnesses, and friends, thronged thecourt-house. The counsel, an imposing array, were ranged along the bar,fronting the bench and the jury-box which was off to one side, and inwhich sat seven solemn-looking negroes and five scarcely less solemnwhite men. Major Welch sat beside Mr. Bagby, and during a part of thetime Mrs. Welch and Ruth had chairs behind them. By the time they wereall settled it was announced that the Judge was coming.

  It had been the practice in the County, when the Judge entered, for theBar to rise and remain standing until he had mounted the bench, bowedto them, and taken his seat, when they bowed and resumed their places.It was a custom brought from the Supreme Court, before which Mr. Bagby,General Legaie, and others of that bar had practised in old times.

  Now, when the Judge entered he was announced by Sherwood, the Sheriff,and came in preceded by Leech and McRaffle. And not a man rose. TheJudge walked up the steps to his arm-chair, faced the crowd, and for asecond stood still, as if waiting. Not a lawyer stirred, and the Judgetook his seat. A half scowl was on his brow, but he banished it andordered Court to be opened. The case was called, the parties announcedthemselves ready, the jury was impanelled, and the trial was begun.General Legaie was to open the case. It was the custom for a chair tobe placed inside the bar, just at the feet of the jurors. This chairwas usually occupied by one of the older members of the bar. And asthe General had been growing a little deaf, he had been taking it oflate. He had prepared himself with great care, and was dressed withthe utmost scrupulousness—a black frock coat, white trousers, a highstock, and immaculate linen—and when the case was called he stood up.He presented a striking figure. The gravity of the occasion spoke inevery line of his weather-beaten, high-bred face. To his mind it wasnot a mere question of title to property he was to argue; it was thequestion between the old and the new—it was a civilization that wason trial. He took the papers in his hand, glanced with some curiosityalong the lines of the jury, and faced the judge.

  “If the Court please——” he began, in a calm, well-modulated voicethat brought an instant hush over the whole court-room.

  His words appeared to wake the judge from a lethargy. He, however, tookno notice whatever of the General, but addressed the sheriff.

  “Put that man behind the bar.”

  The Sheriff was mystified, and looked first around him and then at thejudge, in a puzzled way, to see whom he referred to.

  “Suh?”

  “Make that man get behind the bar.” He simply glanced at the General.This time the negro took in what he meant, and he approached theGeneral doubtfully. The General had not caught all the words, but hehad heard a part of it, and he also looked around. But seeing no oneto be removed, and not understanding the cause of the order, he wasjust beginning again: “If the Court please——” when the negro came upto him. The General stopped and looked at him inquiringly.

  “De Cote say you is to git behine de bar,” said the Sheriff. TheGeneral leaned forward, his hollowed hand raised to his ear.

  “De Cote say you is to git behine de bar.”

  The General turned sharply to the bench and shot one piercing look atthe Judge; then, seeming to recollect himself, wheeled about, walkedacross to Steve and laid the papers of the suit on the bar before him,took up his hat, turned his back squarely on the Court, and faced theBar:

  “Good-morning, _gentlemen_.” He made them a low bow, clapped his hat onhis head, and marched out of the court-room.

  It made a sensation. Steve Allen rose and asked the Court to postponethe case until after dinner, the hour for which was approaching.General Legaie, he said, was the leading counsel on their side.

  “Proceed with the case,” said the judge.

  It was conceded that the action of General Legaie was a loss to theplaintiffs’ side, but every one on that side sustained him. They didnot see how a gentleman could have done otherwise.

  The case proceeded without him.

  It was attempted to show that Mr. Gray could not have owed all themoney Still claimed, and that, if he did owe it, before Still broughtsuit he must have received from Red Rock crops enough to reduce theamount largely, if not to discharge it.

  The investigation was fought at every point by Still’s counsel, andthe Judge almost uniformly ruled in favor of their objections, so thatSteve Allen had hard work to maintain his composure. His eyes flashedand a cloud lowered on his brow as he noted exception after exception.At length the Court began to head him off from even this protection,by ruling, whenever Captain Allen rose, that he was out of order.When Court adjourned the second day it was felt that except for thesuspicious fact that Still had not endorsed any credit on the bonds, nofraud had been shown in his title to them. Witnesses who had been puton the stand to show facts tending to prove that he could not have hadany such amount of money had been ruled out. It was conceded that underthe Court’s ruling no sufficient ground had been established to upsetStill’s title. The defendant’s counsel were jubilant, and that nightdebated whether they should put any witnesses on the stand at all.Leech was against it. The Judge was with them, he maintained. Mr. Bagbywas acquiescent, but Major Welch insisted that, at least, he should goon the stand to state his connection with the case. He did not intendthat it should appear of record that his name had been connected witha charge of fraud, and that, when he had had the opportunity to go onthe stand and deny it, he had failed to do so. Mr. Bagby’s eyes lit upwith a gleam of satisfaction as he listened to him, partly because ofpride in his client, and partly, perhaps, because of the discomfitureof Leech and his client. The old lawyer was content either way, for hedid not see how he could possibly be hurt, whatever might happen. So,next morning, the defence began to take evidence, and after they beganto introduce witnesses it was necessary to go fully into the case. Itwas, however, plain sailing: wind and tide, in shape of the sympathyof the Court, were with them, and as often as Captain Allen interposedobjections they were ruled out. Witnesses were put up to show thatStill had always been a keen business man, and had at various timeslent money to his neighbors, including Mr. Gray. Mr. Gray’s confidencein him was proved, and it was shown that he had relied on him so faras to send him South as his agent. Still was ostentatiously offeredby Leech as a witness to prove everything, but was objected to onthe ground that the other party to the transaction was dead, and wasnecessarily held incompetent. All the merit, however, of what he mightprove was secured. An undisputed bond of Mr. Gray’s was put in proof.It was dated at the outbreak of the war, and was the bond given formoney to help equip the Red Rock Company. This bond was taken from thebundle of papers in the old suit which Still had brought, and whilst itwas being examined the other papers in the file were left spread out onthe bar before Leech, with the big bond lying by itself until it shouldbe offered in evidence. In this way a presumption was raised as toStill’s means and ability to lend money. Just then it became necessaryto show the time when Still went South, in order to connect the largebond with that visit. An attempt was made to do this, but the witnessesput on the stand to prove it got confused on cross-examination anddiffered among themselves by several years. It was now night, and Leechwas anxious to close the case. Things had been going so smoothly thathe was impatient. He glanced around the court-room.

  “Is there no one here who was present when you went or came back?” heasked Still, with a frown. Still looked about him.

  “Yes, there’s a nigger. He was there both when I went away and when Icame back. He used to work a
bout the house.” He pointed to Doan, whostood behind the bar in the throng of spectators. “But I don’t want toput him on,” he whispered. “I don’t like him.”

  “Oh! nonsense! It’s only a single fact, and if we can prove it by onewitness, it’s as good as by a hundred.” He turned and spoke to Doanfrom his seat.

  “Come around and be sworn.” Doan came to the clerk’s desk and wassworn. He was told by Leech that he need not sit down, as there wasonly one question to be asked. So he stood just in front of thebar, where the papers were spread on it, looking self-conscious andsheepish, but very self-important. Leech put his question.

  “Do you know when Mr. Still was sent South by Mr. Gray?”

  “Yes, suh. Cose I does. I was right dyah. See him de night he comeback.”

  “Well, tell those gentlemen when it was,” said Leech. A shade ofimpatience crossed his face as Doan looked puzzled. “What year it was?”He leaned over and touched the big bond lying on the bar before him,preparatory to putting it in evidence. The act seemed to arouse thenegro’s intellect.

  “Well, I don’ know nothin’ ’bout what year ’twuz,” he said, “but Iknows _when_ ’twuz.”

  “Well, _when_ was it? And how do you know when it was?” Leech asked,sharply.

  “‘Twuz when de big picture o’ de ghos’ in de gret hall fall down thelass’ time, jes b’fo’ de war. Mr. Still had jes come back from de Soufde day befo’, an’ him and marster wuz in the gret hall togerr talkin’’bout things, and Mr. Still had jes ontie he picket-book an’ ginmarster back de papers, when de win’ blow ’em on de flo’ an’ de picturecome down out de frame ’quebang, most ’pon top my haid.”

  “Stop him! For God’s sake! stop him,” muttered Still, clutching atLeech’s arm. The lawyer did not catch his words, and turned to him.Still was deadly pale. “Stop him!” he murmured. A stillness hadfallen on the court-room, and the crowd was listening. Leech saw thatsomething had happened.

  “Hold on. Stop! How do you know this?” His tone was suddenly combative.

  “Hi! I wuz right dyah onder it, and it leetle mo’ fall ’pon top myhaid.” Doan gave a nod of satisfaction as he recalled his escape.“Yes, suh, I thought he had got me dat time sho’!” he chuckled, witha comical glance at the negroes before him, who roused up at thereminiscence and laughed at his whimsical look. “‘Twuz in de spring,and I wuz paintin’ de hearth wid red paint, and marster an’ deoverseer was talkin’ togerr at de secretary by de winder ’bout de newplantation down Souf; an’ I wuz doin’ mo’ lis’nin ’n paintin’, cuz whenI heah Mr. Still say he hadn’ buyed all de lan’ an’ niggers marster’spected him to buy and had done bring he barn back, I wuz wonderin’what that wuz an’ ef dee’d sen’ any o’ our blackfolks down Souf; andthunderstorm come up right sudden, an’ b’fo’ dee pull de winder down,blowed dem papers, what Mr. Still bring back an’ teck out he pocket an’gi’ to marster, off de secretary down on de flo’, and slam de do’ sohard de old Ingin-killer fall right out de frame mos’ ’pon top my haid.Yas, suh, I wuz dyah sho’!” He was telling the incident of the pictureand not of the papers, and the crowd was deeply interested. Even theJudge was amused. Still, with white face, was clutching Leech’s arm,making him signals to stop the witness; and Leech, not yet whollycomprehending, was waiting for a pause to do so, without its being toomarked. But Doan was too well launched to stop. He flowed on easily: “Iholp Mr. Still to put de picture back in the frame an’ nail’t up aftermarster had done put de paper what he call he ‘barn,’ in de hole behineit, an’ I tell you I didn’t like it much nohow. An’ Mr. Still didn’like it much nurr.”

  “Stop him!” whispered Still, agonizingly.

  “Here, this is all nonsense,” broke in Leech, angrily. “You don’t knowwhat Mr. Still thought. You know that he came back from the South someyear that there was a thunderstorm, and a picture was blown out of aframe or fell down. And that’s all you know. You don’t know what Mr.Still thought or anything else.” But Doan was by this time at his ease,enjoying the taste of publicity.

  “Yas, suh, I does, cuz I hear him say so. I holp him nail de pictureback after marster had done put dem very papers Mr. Still gi’ him backin de hole behine it. An’ I hear Mr. Still tell marster ’t ef it wuzhim he’d be skeered, cuz dee say ’twuz bad luck to anybody in de houseef de picture fall; and marster say he wa’n’t skeered, dat ef anythinghappen to him he could trust Mr. Still, an’ he’d put de papers in dehole behine de picture, so ef anyone ever fine ’em dee’d see what afaithful man he had; he had trus’ him wid he barn for thousan’s o’dollars, an’ he brung it back, an’ he gwine nail de picture up now so’twon’ come down no mo’.”

  “Oh! Your master said he felt he could trust Mr. Still?” said Leech,brightening, catching this crumb of comfort.

  “Yas, suh.”

  “And what did Mr. Still say?”

  “He say he could too.” The crowd laughed.

  “And he nailed the picture up securely?”

  “Yas, suh. I holped him. Marster sont me to teck Marse Rupert out, cuzhe wuz dabblin’ he little byah foots in de paint on de hearth, trackin’up de flo’, an’ had done step’pon one o’ de barns whar blow’ down, an’mark it up; an’ he tell me when I come back to bring hammer an’ nailsto nail de picture up, an’ so I done.”

  Still was again squeezing his counsel’s arm painfully, whispering himto stop the witness. But Leech had to ask one more question.

  “You brought the nails and nailed it up?”

  “Yes, suh, me an’ Mr. Still. An’ Marse Rupert he come back, and Mr.Jack dyah wid him, an’ say he gwine help too. He wuz always pesterin’roun’, dem days.” This in pleasant reminiscence to the crowd.

  “You can stand aside,” said Leech, contemptuously. He gave a sigh ofrelief, and Doan was turning slowly to go.

  “Hold on.” Steve’s deep voice broke in. Jacquelin was whispering tohim eagerly. A new light had come into his eyes, and he was scanningStill’s white face, on which the beads of sweat had stood during thewhole examination. Steve, still listening to Jacquelin’s rapid speech,rose slowly to get the bond lying on the bar. Before he could reachit however, McRaffle, one of the counsel associated with Leech, partlyresenting the neglect of himself and wishing to earn his fee, leantforward. He would, at least, ask one question.

  “You nailed it up securely, and that was the last time it fell.” Hespoke rather in affirmation than question.

  “Nor, suh; it done fall down two or three times since den. Hit fall deday marster wuz kilt, an’ hit fall de evenin’ Mr. Still dyah got depapers out de hole agin. Dat’s de evenin’ Mr. Leech dyah ’rest MarseJack. Mr. Leech know ’bout dat.”

  Suddenly a voice rang through the court-room.

  “It’s a lie! It’s all a d—d lie!” It was Hiram Still, and he hadsprung to his feet in uncontrollable agitation, his face livid. Everyeye was turned on him, and Leech caught him and pulled him downforcibly into his seat, rising in his place and addressing the Court.

  “If your honor please,” he said, “all of this is irrelevant. I have noidea what it is all about; but it has no bearing whatever on this case:a lot of stuff about a picture falling down. I shall ask you to excludeit all from the jury——”

  “But I will show whether or not it is relevant,” asserted Steve. He hadpicked up the bond from the bar and held it firmly. His voice had a newring in it.

  Leech turned on him angrily, but caught his eye and quieted down. Headdressed the Court again.

  “I will show how impossible it is for it to be accepted. Can you reador write?” he demanded of Doan, who stood much puzzled by what wasgoing on.

  “Nor, suh.”

  “And you cannot tell one paper from another, can you?”

  “Nor, suh. But ef de paper Mr. Still got out from behine de picturedat evenin’ I see him git up in de hole after you brung Marse Jackaway, is de one I see him gi’ marster an’ see him put in dyah, hit’sgot Marse Rupert’s foot-track ’pon it—least his toe-tracks—wharhe
’d been dabblin’ in de fresh paint on de hearth; cuz dat’s de reasonmarster meek me cyar him out, cuz he step ’pon de barn whar blown downon de hall-flo’ wid red paint, an’ track up de flo’ runnin’ after it.”(Here Steve, with a bow, handed the bond across to Major Welch.) “I seemarster when he put de paper in de bundle an’ Mr. Still put it up in dehole behine de picture, an’ I see Mr. Still when he git up in de holean’ teck it out de evenin’ de picture fall down after mistis an’ allde white folks come ’way to de cote-house after Marse Jack. Ef it’s desame barn hit’s got he toe-marks on hit in red paint, cuz I can showyou de tracks on de hall flo’ now. Hit’s dim, but hit’s dyah on de flo’still. Ef you go dyah wid me I can show’t to you.”

  At this moment Major Welch, who had been holding the bond in his handand had studied it carefully, leaned forward and held it out to thenegro.

  Still, with a gasp, made a grab for Leech, and Leech reached for thepaper; but Major Welch put him aside without even looking at him.

  “Did you ever see that paper before?” he asked Doan. Doan’s face litup, and he gave an ejaculation of surprise and pleasure.

  “Yas, suh, dat’s de very paper I’se talkin’ ’bout.” He took it and heldit triumphantly, turning it so it could be seen. “Dyah’s Marse Rupert’slittle toe-marks ’pon hit now, jes’ like I tell you.” And as the paperwas viewed, there, without doubt, were the prints—incontestablythe marks of five little toes, as the exclamation of the spectatorscertified. Doan was delighted at his justification. “I knowed heteck it out, cuz I see him when he cut de string up dyah an’ putit in he pocket, an’ I see de string when I put it back,” he said,confidentially, to the crowd. “I see him, an’ Unc’ Tarquin see himtoo, cuz he had jes come over to see ’bout Marse Jack; an he ax meafterwards what Mr. Still wuz doin’ in de hole up dyah rummagin’papers.”

  STILL SPRUNG TO HIS FEET IN UNCONTROLLABLE AGITATION,HIS FACE LIVID.]

  “That’s so!” exclaimed a deep voice back in the crowd. “I saw himin the hole, and I saw him take some papers out and put them in hispocket.” It was old Tarquin, standing still and solemn in the front rowof the negroes behind the bar.

  The Judge roared for silence, and Leech rose and renewed his motion. Hedenounced the whole story as nonsensical and absurd.

  Steve Allen started to contest the motion; but the Judge sustained it,and ruled out Doan’s testimony, to which Steve excepted. Then Leechcalmly offered the bond in evidence, and announced that they werethrough and wanted no argument.

  Steve Allen offered to put Doan on the stand as his witness, but Leechobjected; the plaintiffs had closed their case, he said. And so theCourt ruled. Steve Allen claimed the right to put the witness on thestand, asserting that it was in rebuttal. But the Court was firm. TheJudge declined “to hear ghost stories.” Steve insisted, and the Courtordered him to take his seat. He was “out of order.” The case wasclosed, and he wanted to hear no argument. In such a case the verdictof a jury was not obligatory on the Court, it was only to instruct themind of the chancellor. He had heard all that the jury had heard, andhis mind was clear. He would instruct them to bring in a verdict thatno fraud had been shown, and the defendants would prepare a decreeaccordingly.

  On this Steve suddenly flamed out. He would like to know, he said, whenhe had been in order in that court. It was an outrage on decency; therulings of the Court were a cover for fraud.

  He was certainly out of order now. The Judge was angry, but he was notafraid.

  “Take your seat, sir,” he shouted. “I will commit you for contempt.”The anger of the Judge cooled Steve’s.

  “If you do, it will certainly be for _contempt_,” he said, recoveringhis composure. He was looking the Judge squarely in the eyes.

  “I will put you in jail, sir!”

  “It has no terrors for me. It is more honorable than your court.”

  “I will disbar you!” roared the Judge.

  “You have substantially done it in this case,” said Steve.

  The Judge was foaming. He turned to the clerk and commanded him toenter an order immediately striking Steve’s name from the roll ofattorneys practising in that court, and ordered the Sheriff to take himinto custody. The excitement was intense. Instinctively a number ofmen, Andy Stamper among them, moved up close to Steve and stood abouthim. The colored Sheriff, who had started, paused and looked at theJudge inquiringly. The Judge was just beginning to speak again to theSheriff, but his attention was arrested.

  At this moment Jacquelin rose. His calm manner and assured voicequieted the hubbub; and the Judge looked at him and waited. As hiscounsel was disbarred, Jacquelin said, he should ask the Court toallow him to represent himself at this juncture, and also his brother,who was still a minor. He calmly stated the series of events thathad prevented their knowing before the facts that had just then beendisclosed, and which made everything clear; and he asked leave to amendtheir bill, or to file a new one, on the ground of after-discoveredevidence. With the new light thrown on the case, he traced Still’saction step by step, and suddenly wound up with a charge that Still hadarrested his brother to get him out of the way and destroy the dangerof his testimony. A roar of applause burst from the white men present,in whom a ray of hope began to shine once more. Jacquelin sat down.

  Of all the people in the court-room the Judge was the most calm. He wasas motionless as a sphinx. As Jacquelin took his seat there was a briefpause of deathly stillness. The Judge looked at Leech and waited. Thelatter caught the signal and his face lit up. He put his hand on thebar, and leant forward preparatory to rising to his feet. Before hecould make another motion Major Welch rose. Every eye was turned onhim. Old Mr. Bagby gazed up at him, his lips slightly parted, his eyesfilled with wonderment. Leech, with his hand resting on the bar and hisbody bent forward, waited. The Judge turned his gaze to Major Welch.The silence became almost palpable. Major Welch’s face was pale, andthe lines, as seen in the dim light, appeared to have deepened in it.His form was erect.

  “If your honor please,” he began, “I am a defendant in this case, andhold as a purchaser under the other defendant a considerable part ofthe property sought to be recovered by the plaintiffs. I bought ithonestly and paid for it, believing that it was the land of the manfrom whom I bought, and I still hold it. There have been a numberof things since that I have not been able to understand until now.I have observed closely all that has gone on here to-day, and haveheard all that has just been said. I wish to say that, as far as Iam concerned—so far as relates to the part of the property formerlybelonging to Mr. Jacquelin Gray and his brother now held by me—I amsatisfied. It will not be necessary for the plaintiffs to take thestep that has just been proposed, of filing a new bill. From certainfacts within my own knowledge, and which I did not understand before,but on which, what has just taken place has thrown a full light, I amquite satisfied. And if the complainants will prepare a proper deedreconveying the land—my part of the land—to them, I will executeit without further delay, and will make such restitution as I can.I have lost what I put into it, which is a considerable part of allI possessed in the world. But”—he paused for a second—“there isone thing I have not lost, and I do not propose to lose it. I am notwilling to hold another man’s property which he lost by fraud.” (Forthe first time he turned and faced the bar. His voice which, if firm,had been grave and low, suddenly became strong and full, with a ring init of pride.) “I shall expect them to make a declaration of record thatevery transaction, so far as I at least was concerned, was free fromany taint of suspicion.” He sat down, amid a deathly silence. The nextmoment, from all through the court-room, there was a cheer that almosttook the roof off. The Judge scowled and rapped, but it was beyondhim; and in spite of his efforts to restore order, the tumult went onwildly, cheer after cheer, not only for the act, but for the man.

  Ruth, who all through the scene had been sitting beside her mother,holding her arm tightly, her face as white as her handkerchief, in afit of uncontrollable emotion burst into tears and
threw herself intoher mother’s arms; and Mrs. Welch’s eyes were glistening and her facewas lit by a glow which she did not always permit to rest there.

  Old Mr. Bagby had sat half-dazed by his client’s action—wonder,dissatisfaction, and pride all contending in his countenance formastery. Before his client was through, pride conquered, and as MajorWelch took his seat the old lawyer leant forward, placed his hand onthe back of Major Welch’s and closed it firmly. That was all.

  As Major Welch sat down Jacquelin sprang to his feet. His face wasalmost as white as Major Welch’s.

  “If the Court please——” he began. But it was in vain that he stroveto speak. Cheers for Major Welch were ringing, and the Judge, hisface livid with wrath, was rapping. Jacquelin was waving his hand toquiet the crowd. “If the Court please,” he repeated, “I wish to make astatement.”

  “Sit down,” said the Judge, shouting angrily to the Sheriff to restoreorder. Jacquelin sat down, and the cheers began to subside.

  Leech and his associates had been struck dumb with astonishment. Theygazed on Still in blank dismay, and, as Jacquelin resumed his seat,Leech leaned over and spoke to Still. Still sat motionless, his faceashy, his cheeks twitching, his eyes dull. Just at that moment therewas a crash outside close to the window. A restive horse had brokenloose. There was a shrill neigh and the sudden trample of feet as hedashed away through the darkness. Hiram Still sank forward and rolledfrom his chair in a heap on the floor.

  The Court adjourned for the night, and the crowd poured from thecourt-room.

  As Ruth and her mother came out, the darkened green was full of groupsof men all eagerly discussing the occurrence and its probable effect onthe case. Major Welch’s name was on every lip.

  “Danged if I believe he’s a Yankee, anyway!” said a voice in thedarkness as Ruth and Mrs. Welch passed by—a theory which gained thismuch credit: that several admitted that, “He certainly was more likeour people than like Yankees.” One, after reflection, said:

  “Well, maybe there’s some of ’em better than them we know about.”

  The ladies passed on in the darkness.

  Hiram Still was taken over to the tavern, and Dr. Cary worked over himfor hours; and later in the night the report was current that it wasonly a fit he had had, and that he was recovering.

  Meantime Leech and Still’s other counsel held a consultation, and afterthat Leech was closeted with the Judge in his room for an hour; andwhen he left, having learned that Major Welch had gone home, he mountedhis horse and rode away in the darkness in the direction of Red Rock.

  The next morning the Judge adjourned his court for the term. Theillness of Still, the chief party in the cause, was the ground assigned.

  It soon became known that Still was not going to give up the suit. Itwas authoritatively announced by Leech. What Major Welch chose to dohad nothing to do with Still.

  “If Major Welch was fool enough,” Leech said, “to turn tail at anigger’s lies, which he had been bribed to tell, and fling away a goodplantation, it was none of their business. But they were going to fightand win their case.”

  The Judge left the County, and Still, having recovered sufficiently,was moved to his home.

  The day after the scene in the court-room Jacquelin Gray, Steve, andthe General had a conference with old Mr. Bagby, and then together theycalled on Major Welch. They stated that, while they appreciated hisaction, they did not wish him to take such a step as he had proposedunder the excitement of an impulse, and they would prefer to bring theproof and lay it before him to establish the facts they alleged asbeyond question.

  “It was this that I wished to say last night,” said Jacquelin; and thenadded that he was quite ready to make the entry of record at once thatthe Major’s holding of the lands was entirely innocent.

  Major Welch heard his visitors through, then said he preferred not towait; he was quite satisfied.

  “It might have been an impulse last night, gentlemen, but it is notan impulse now. I have reflected very deeply, you may be sure; but Iam only confirmed in my intention, and my act now is that of maturedeliberation. I only wish to say one thing more: that if I were capableof holding on to this land, my wife would not permit me to do so.”

  He did not tell the visitors that, the night before, he had beenfollowed home by Leech, who had just come from an interview with theJudge, and who urged him, on every ground that he could think of, toreconsider his action and retract his promise; assured him of theabsolute certainty of success, and gave him finally the assurance ofthe Judge himself, who had promised to dismiss the suit and enter thedecree.

  Nor did he tell Jacquelin that the interview with Leech had comesuddenly to an end by his telling Leech of what he knew personally,and that he considered him a proper counsel for Still, and the Judge aproper judge for him to try his case before.

  This he did not mention, and they did not learn it until longafterward.