to the men who make and have made the law. From the hard
detail of this new day, I appeal to the chivalry of the old South which
has been told in story and sung in song. From men of vindictiveness I
appeal to men of mercy. From plebeians to aristocrats. By the memory of
the sacred names of the Richardsons"--the Major sat bolt upright and
dropped his snuffbox--"the Durbins"--the ex-judge couldn't for his life
get his pince-nez on--"the Howards"--the captain openly rubbed his
hands--"to the memory that those names call up I appeal, and to the
living and honourable bearers of them present. And to you, gentlemen of
the jury, the lives of whose fathers went to purchase this dark and
bloody ground, I appeal from the accusation of these men, who are not my
victims, not my dupes, but their own."

There was a hush when he was done. The judge read the charge to the
jury, and it was favourable--very. And--well, Scatters had taught the
darkies a lesson; he had spoken of their families and their traditions,
he knew their names, and--oh, well, he was a good fellow after all--what
was the use?

The jury did not leave their seats, and the verdict was acquittal.

Scatters thanked the Court and started away; but he met three
ominous-looking pairs of eyes, and a crowd composed of angry Negroes was
flocking toward the edge of the green.

He came back.

"I think I had better wait until the excitement subsides," he said to
Major Richardson.

"No need of that, suh, no need of that. Here, Jim," he called to his
coachman, "take Mr. Scatters wherever he wants to go, and remember, I
shall hold you responsible for his safety."

"Yes, suh," said Jim.

"A thousand thanks, Major," said the man with the mission.

"Not at all, suh. By the way, that was a very fine effort of yours this
afternoon. I was greatly moved by it. If you'll give me your address
I'll send you a history of our family, suh, from the time they left
Vuhginia and before."

Mr. Scatters gave him the address, and smiled at the three enemies, who
still waited on the edge of the green.

"To the station," he said to the driver.

_Four_

A MATTER OF DOCTRINE

There was great excitement in Miltonville over the advent of a most
eloquent and convincing minister from the North. The beauty about the
Rev. Thaddeus Warwick was that he was purely and simply a man of the
doctrine. He had no emotions, his sermons were never matters of feeling;
but he insisted so strongly