“I feel justified in expecting that,” laughed the judge.
“Yassah, jedge, yassah.”
“If you did not steal the cow, tell us how you became the possessor of it.”
“Tells yo’, jedge. I’s passin’ ’long de road, an’ dis cow standin’ dah, seemin’ lak she lost. I stops and ’gins ter see if I kin identify huh. Den she ’pears ter know me, an’ I rubs her about de neck, an’ she lay huh haid ovah on me jes’ lak she wants me ter take care ob huh. Den I drap de rope aroun’ huh horns an’ walked away.”
“She followed you?”
“Yassah, jedge, yassah; she sho did.”
“Didn’t have to pull on the rope?”
“Nossah, jedge, not er bit.”
“Hold him for the State,” ordered the judge, and the cow’s guardian pro tem. was escorted below.