"Hold yourself in readiness to appear before the court. Now you may go."
But he hesitated. "Hope you ain't miffed at me, Jedge, for sayin' I war sorter diserpp'inted in you. I didn't mean no harm; an' say' Jedge, you ask Old Jasper an' he'll tell you whuther he's made licker. He ain't one of the sort that tells a lie, Jedge, an' I hope you'll do the best you kin fur him; an' if you have to send him to the penitentiary I hope you'll let me take half the time. I'd like to do that much fur him. As fur me, Jedge, it don't make much diffunce whuther I'm locked up or not. An' say, if it ain't stretchin' a p'int, I'll take it all, but don't let him know how it come about."
The Judge looked at him and his eye was not hard. "Go on, young man. You don't know where you got that spirit of self-sacrifice—you can never know; but I appreciate it. Go on, young man."
CHAPTER XXV.
TOO PROUD TO BEG.
"The old man may tell the truth," said the Judge. "Mr. Foster, have him brought in."
Foster stepped to a side door, opened it, looked in and beckoned. He stood aside and old Jasper walked into the room.
"Judge," said the Marshal, "this is the prisoner."
"Where is the Jedge?" Jasper inquired, looking about.