The Judge held her close and did his best to calm her.
“There, there, child,” he said. “No one's going to hurt you.”
“Yes—yes, they are. Mrs. Hobbs said she shouldn't wonder if he knocked my—my head right off.”
“Knocked your head off! Who?”
“Him.”
She raised her hand and pointed a shaking finger straight at Captain Shadrach.
All three of her hearers were surprised, of course, but in the case of the Captain himself amazement was coupled with righteous indignation.
“Wha-what?” he stammered. “Who said so? What kind of talk's that? Said I was goin' to knock your head off? I was?”
Baxter laughed. “No, no, Mary-'Gusta,” he said; “you're mistaken. Mrs. Hobbs couldn't have said any such thing. You're mistaken, dear.”
“No, I ain't,” with another sob; “she did say so. She said he would knock my head—ah—ah—off and—and put me in jail, too. And I didn't mean to do it; honest, truly I didn't.”