Tom turned his ashen face imploring toward the speaker, made some impotent movements with his white lips, then slid limp and lifeless to the floor.
Wilson broke the awed silence with the words—
“There is no need. He has confessed.”
Roxy flung herself upon her knees, covered her face with her hands, and out through her sobs the words struggled—
“De Lord have mercy on me, po’ misable sinner dat I is!”
The clock struck twelve.
The court rose; the new prisoner, handcuffed, was removed.