“I’m thund’rin’ sorry, so I am, an’ if we’d ha’ knowed how it would ha’ ended, the boys ’ud ha’ made sure by bangin’ him fust an’ havin’ the trial a’terwards.”
“Are you speaking about Mr. Cotterell? We have not had any news for days, so perhaps you will explain it all clearly,” said Madame.
“Yes, wal, when ole man Wright come an’ tole as how yer hoss was stole, the boys they ’lowed as you was all such damn—such all-fired pertikler folks as didn’t do yer own shootin’, they ’lowed they oughter kinder be neighbourly an’ do it for yer. So we sot out to run down the cuss. We got word from a teamster from beyond the Creek, he seed a man on a mare jes’ like yourn agoin’ toward the border. So we picked up the trail right away. He warn’t worth a red cent to hide a trail. He jes’ follered straight ahead ’long the road, axin’ his way an’ follerin’ plumb on the d’rections. Any fool could ha’ run down such a coon as him. He war ridin’ yer brown mare when they come up, an’ he didn’t show fight, jes’ said he’d stan’ trial, an’ he ’lowed it ’ud be fair. The boys calkerlated it wouldn’t be a fair trial ’less they toted him roun’ to Union Mills, which are his own post-office, an’ if that ain’t treatin’ a man fair nothin’ is. An’ they got a new set o’ men to stan’ jury as what cotch him, ’cause mos’ on ’em was that mad for leavin’ the corn-shuckin’ to run down such a nat’ral born fool, they’d ha’ mos’ likely strung him slap up. It war all done fair, we kep’ him down to Phillipps’ store over night, an’ I tuk a spell o’ stan’in’ guard. We didn’t sen’ for none o’ yo’uns, ’cause we knowed yer be all sot agin hangin’, an’ yer can’t have a man on a jury who’s sot agin hangin’ when that’s all yer want ter git done, can yer? So we was a-tryin’ of him fair, with ole man Strong for foreman ’cause he knowed all the forms, as he was out to the hangin’ of Howard an’ that thief over to Jacksonville an’ mos’ on ’em. He was pertikler to do it all straight ’cordin’ to law, an’ we was gittin’ ’long slick, when Mis’ Weston come an’ bust it all up. She said she lent him the hoss, an’ it war hern.”
The narrator stopped to observe the effect of this announcement. He felt repaid.
“I don’t believe it,” sobbed Uncle David.
“I hearn her say it,” said the man. His complete enjoyment of the effect was marred by the tears of that poor old man.
“We had to let him off, o’ course, for the stealin’, an’ we couldn’t hang him for the shootin’ o’ Jake Mills, ’cause some o’ the boys said they’d never hang on nigger evidence, an’ we hadn’t none other. Anyhow, that nigger he drowned hisself in lies right away, an’ we didn’t lay much on what he done tole us, you bet. But we was powerful sorry a’terwards when we seen what we’d done. She’s gone off with him plumb.”
“No, no, not that,” said Uncle David, “tain’t so, you didn’t un’erstan’.”
“We axed her war she a-gwine with him, an’ she said, ‘yes,’ I hearn her say so.”
“She was on’y goin’ home,” said Uncle David tremulously.