"I took her to Miss Crane's boarding-house," said Stephen.
It was the Colonel's turn to explode. The guffaw which came from hire drowned every other sound.
"Good God!" said the Judge, helplessly. Again he looked at the Colonel, and this time something very like mirth shivered his lean frame. "And what do you intend to do with her?" he asked in strange tones.
"To give her freedom, sir, as soon as I can find somebody to go on her bond."
Again silence. Mr. Whipple rubbed his nose with more than customary violence, and looked very hard at Mr. Carvel, whose face was inscrutable. It was a solemn moment.
"Mr. Brice," said the Judge, at length, "take off your coat, sir I will go her bond."
It was Stephen's turn to be taken aback. He stood regarding the Judge curiously, wondering what manner of man he was. He did not know that this question had puzzled many before him.
"Thank you, sir," he said.
His hand was on the knob of the door, when Mr. Whipple called him back abruptly. His voice had lost some of its gruffness.
"What were your father's ideas about slavery, Mr. Brice?"