Starbuck," the Judge began, but with a pleading gesture the old man
cut him off. "Please don't say nothin' mo' while she's in here."
[Illustration: "JEDGE, FOR THE LORD'S SAKE DON'T HANG HIM"]
"I come a ridin' an' a walkin' the best I could," Margaret moaned,
looking about, "an' Jasper, I watered the flowers down there under the
tree befo' I come, because I knowd it would please you. An' if they hang
you, they've got to hang me, too. Jedge, there ain't no better man than
he is, an' for the Lord's sake don't hang him." She sank upon her knees;
but Jasper quickly lifted her to her feet. "There, you must never do
that."
"Madam," said the marshal, "Judge Elliott wouldn't--"
"Jedge Elliott!" she gasped, and Jasper whispered in her ear: "Don't let
him know that his son has married our daughter. He would think we was a
beggin'."
"Mrs. Starbuck," the Judge kindly spoke, "will you please retire until
we have concluded this examination?"
"Yes, suh, but let me tell you about him, Jedge. I was po' an' I didn't
have no home an' I was almost starvin' an' he married me, an'--you do
love me, don't you, Jasper?"
"Yes, now go on as the Jedge tells you.
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