erform before
adjourning for the day. Recall Hannah Thomson."

"I jist started her on ahead to git supper and milk the cows," said Mrs.
Means. "A'n't a-goin' to have her loafin' here all day."

"Constable, recall her. This court can not adjourn until she returns!"

Hannah had gone but a little way, and was soon in the presence of the
court, trembling for fear of some new calamity.

"Hannah Thomson"--it was Squire Underwood who spoke--"Hannah Thomson,
this court wishes to ask you one or two questions."

"Yes, sir," but her voice died to a whisper.

"How old did you say you were?

"Eighteen, sir, last October."

"Can you prove your age?"

"Yes, sir--by my mother."

"For how long are you bound to Mr. Means?"

"Till I'm twenty-one."

"This court feels in duty bound to inform you that, according to the
laws of Indiana, a woman is of age at eighteen, and as no indenture
could be made binding after you had reached your majority, you are the
victim of a deception. You are free, and if it can be proven that you
have been defrauded by a willful deception, a suit for damages will
lie."

"Ugh!" said Mrs. Means. "You're a purty court, a'n't you, Dr.
Underwood?"

"Be careful, Mrs. Means, or I shall have to fine you for contempt of
court."

But the people, who were in the cheering humor, cheered Hannah and the
justices, and then cheered Ralph again. Granny Sanders shook hands with
him, and allers knowed he'd come out right. It allers 'peared like as if
Dr. Small warn't jist the sort to tie to, you know. And old John Pearson
went home, after drinking two or three glasses of Welch's whisky,
keeping time to an imaginary triumphal march, and feeling prouder than
he had ever felt since he fit the Britishers under Scott at Lundy's
Lane. He told his wife that the master had jist knocked the hind-sights
offen that air young lawyer from Lewisburg.

Walter was held to bail that he might appear as a witness, and Ralph
might have sent his aunt a Roland for an Oliver. But he only sent a note
to his uncle, asking him to go Walter's bail. If he had been resentful,
he could not have wished for a more complete revenge than the day had
brought.

CHAPTER XXXII.

AFTER THE BATTLE.

Nothing can be more demoralizing in the long run than lynch law. And yet
lynch law often originates in a burst of generous indignation which is
not willing to suffer a bold oppressor to escape by means of corrupt and
cowardly courts. It is of