He
was goin' 'long up to town-court, he said, and had jest drapped in to
pass the time o' day. There he is sittin' over there," and he pointed to
his captor.
"I hadn't never seen him before, though I know a good many of 'em, but
he showed me his badge, and I knowed who he was.
"The nex' mornin' Lawyer Fillmore and Luke stopped outside and hollered
for me to come out. I wanted 'em to come in. Wife had baked some biscuit
and we was determined to be sociable-like, now that they was willin' to
do what was fair, and I 'lowed they must drive up and git out. They said
that that's what they come for, only that they had to go a piece down
the road, and they'd be back agin in a half-hour with the money.
"Then Luke Shanders 'lowed he was cold, and asked if I had a drap o'
whiskey."
At mention of the all-important word a visible stir took place in the
court-room. The young man with the closed eyes opened them and sat up in
his chair. The jury ceased whispering to one another; the Judge pushed
his spectacles back on his forehead and moved his papers aside; the
buzzard stretched his long neck an inch farther out of his shirt-collar
and lowered his head in attention.
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