"What do you say to this charge?" demanded St. Udo.
"I say nothing," mumbled Thoms, showing his long, cruel teeth. "If you're ready to believe a rebel against your own servant, I needn't expect much fair play. What else would he say to revenge his death, I'd like to know? Of course, if you're a-going to shoot me, nothing that I can say will stop you—you're master here, as well as everywhere else."
He ground the last words out through his teeth with a venom, a fury which belonged more to a madman than to a man supposed to be in possession of his ordinary sanity, and he addressed them to St. Udo exclusively.
"You deserve to die," said St. Udo, "if you have attempted our lives."
"By gar! ve vill court-martial the rogue!" cried Calembours. "He shall be shot, the traitor!"
"If you shoot me, you shoot an innocent man," protested the old man. "Surely Colonel Brand will give me fair play? I swear I never attempted your lives!"
St. Udo scrutinized the eager face doubtfully, and frowned.
"You say that the Confederate, not you, fired that pistol-shot?" he demanded.
"I do say so," answered Thoms, firmly.
"Then we give you the benefit of the doubt this time," said St. Udo, "but warn you that you shall be well watched in future. Be off now, and beware of treachery, for you shall not escape a second time."