I had no lawyer. In the early morning a police court lawyer (termed, in
the higher circles of society, a "shyster") had come into our den in
the prison and offered his services to me, but I had been obliged to go
without them because I could not pay in advance or give security. I told
the interpreter how the matter stood. He said I must take my chances on
the witnesses then. I glanced around, and my failing confidence revived.

"Call those four Chinamen yonder," I said. "They saw it all. I remember
their faces perfectly. They will prove that the white men set the dog on
me when I was not harming them."

"That won't work," said he. "In this country white men can testify
against Chinamen all they want to, but Chinamen ain't allowed to testify
against white men!"

What a chill went through me! And then I felt the indignant blood rise
to my cheek at this libel upon the Home of the Oppressed, where all men
are free and equal--perfectly equal--perfectly free and perfectly equal.
I despised this Chinese-speaking Spaniard for his mean slander of the
land that was sheltering and feeding him. I sorely wanted to sear his
eyes with that sentence from the great and good American Declaration of
Independence which we have copied in letters of gold in China and keep
hung up over our family altars and in our temples--I mean the one about
all men being created free and equal.

But woe is me, Ching Foo, the man was right. He was right, after all.
There were my witnesses, but I could not use them. But now came a new
hope. I saw my white friend come in, and I felt that he had come there
purposely to help me. I may almost say I knew it. So I grew easier. He
passed near enough to me to say under his breath, "Don't be afraid," and
then I had no more fear. But presently the rowdies recognised him and
began to scowl at him in no friendly way, and to make threatening signs
at him. The two officers that arrested me fixed their eyes steadily on
his; he bore it well, but gave in presently, and dropped his eyes.
They still gazed at his eyebrows, and every time he raised his eyes he
encountered their winkless stare--until after a minute or two he ceased
to lift his head at all. The judge had been giving some instructions
privately to some one for a little while, but now he was ready to resume
business. Then the trial so unspeakably important to me, and freighted
with such prodigious consequence to my wife and children, began,
progressed, ended, was