"Why, sheriff," says Jim, "what do you want with these?"
"Take yo' coffee, son. It's cold this mawnin'."
Jim fell to sipping his coffee, while old Dick sat crouched down over the brazier.
"My old woman's been here this fortnight past," he said, "and I collected a doctor of sorts."
"You never sent for father, or for me."
"I had reasons, boy, good reasons. Jim, thar's trouble a-comin', and you've got to face it manful."
"Oh, speak out!"
"As I says to my ole woman only yesterday, I'd have loaned the money myself to yo' poh mother, only I don't have enough to lend to a dawg."
"What do you mean?"
"I couldn't turn the po' lady out of her home, so I got a stay of execution from the Court, to give her time to escape. She's done escaped now, and I got to act."