Part 58 (1/2)
”Send for the sheriff,” he growled to the Commissioner.
In a moment Aleck appeared bowing humbly and politely to every white man he pa.s.sed. He bent halfway to the floor before the Commissioner and said:
”Ma.r.s.e Ben be here in er minute, sah. He's er eatin' his breakfus'. I run erlong erhead.”
Stoneman's face was a thundercloud as he scrambled to his feet and glared at Aleck:
”_Ma.r.s.e_ Ben? Did you say _Ma.r.s.e_ Ben? Who's he?”
Aleck bowed low again.
”De young Colonel, sah--Ma.r.s.e Ben Cameron.”
”And you the sheriff of this county trotted along in front to make the way smooth for your prisoner?”
”Yessah!”
”Is that the way you escort prisoners before a court?”
”Dem kin' er prisoners--yessah.”
”Why didn't you walk beside him?”
Aleck grinned from ear to ear and bowed very low:
”He say sumfin' to me, sah!”
”And what did he say?”
Aleck shook his head and laughed:
”I hates ter insinuate ter de cote, sah!”
”What did he say to you?” thundered Stoneman.
”He say--he say--ef I walk 'longside er him--he knock h.e.l.l outen me, sah!”
”Indeed.”
”Yessah, en I 'spec' he would,” said Aleck insinuatingly. ”La, he's a gemman, sah, he is! He tell me he come right on. He be here sho'.”
Stoneman whispered to Lynch, turned with a look of contempt to Aleck, and said:
”Mr. Sheriff, you interest me. Will you be kind enough to explain to this court what has happened to you lately to so miraculously change your manners?”
Aleck glanced around the room nervously.
”I seed sumfin'--a vision, sah!”
”A vision? Are you given to visions?”