“It would be much easier to shoot them all and testify that they endeavored to escape,” suggested Herz with a humorous twist to his ugly mouth.
“Oh, boss! Please don’t do no sich a deed,” whined James Hanks. “I ain’t never a-goin’ ter let on that you——”
“I know you are not!” and Herz put a cold revolver against the negro’s temple. “You are not even going to let on anything here in this car. Now you keep your mouth shut, and shut tight or I’ll blow your head off. We’ve got no use for people who fail.”
“Heavens! What a Prussian you are, Herz!” laughed the count.
Richmond was reached in safety. Money was handed out to each one of the grateful negroes with instructions to take the first train north and then to separate.
“They’ll catch you sure if you stick together. But if they do catch you, you keep your black mouths shut about anything connected with the Count de Lestis or me,—do you understand?”
They understood and made off as quickly as they could.
“Ain’t he a tur’ble slave driver, though?” said the bandy-legged one, and the others agreed.
No time for rest for the occupants of the little red car. Back they went over the muddy roads as fast as the wonderful engine could take them. It was just dawn when they reached a certain spot in the road on the way to the court-house where they considered it most likely they could work their machinations.
There was a sharp curve with a steep embankment on the outer edge. The car was carefully steered until two wheels were almost over the precipice. Then the count alighted, first turning off his engine. With shoulders to the wheel, the two men pushed until the machine toppled over into the ditch.