here had been no peace within his doors. At first his
wife had tried to control him alone, and had humoured the wild babblings
with which he woke from his swoon. But these changed to shrieks and
cries and curses, and she was forced to throw open the doors so long
closed and call in help. The neighbours and her old friends went to her
assistance, and what the reporter's story had not done, the ravings of
the man accomplished; for, with a show of matchless cunning, he
continually clutched at his breast, laughed, and babbled his secret
openly. Even then they would have smothered it in silence, for the
honour of one of their best families; but too many ears had heard, and
then came the yellow journal bearing all the news in emblazoned
headlines.

Colonel Saunders was distinctly hurt to think that his confidence had
been imposed on, and that he had been instrumental in bringing shame
upon a Southern name.

"To think, suh," he said generally to the usual assembly of choice
spirits,--"to think of that man's being a reporter, suh, a common,
ordinary reporter, and that I sat and talked to him as if he were a
gentleman!"

"You 're not to be blamed, Colonel," said old Horace Talbot. "You 've
done no more than any other gentleman would have done. The trouble is
that the average Northerner has no sense of honour, suh, no sense of
honour. If this particular man had had, he would have kept still, and
everything would have gone on smooth and quiet. Instead of that, a
distinguished family is brought to shame, and for what? To give a nigger
a few more years of freedom when, likely as not, he don't want it; and
Berry Hamilton's life in prison has proved nearer the ideal reached by
slavery than anything he has found since emancipation. Why, suhs, I
fancy I see him leaving his prison with tears of regret in his eyes."

Old Horace was inanely eloquent for an hour over his pet theory. But
there were some in the town who thought differently about the matter,
and it was their opinions and murmurings that backed up Skaggs and made
it easier for him when at the capital he came into contact with the
official red tape.

He was told that there were certain forms of procedure, and certain
times for certain things, but he hammered persistently away, the
murmurings behind him grew louder, while from his sanctum the editor of
the _Universe_ thundered away against oppression and high-handed
tyranny. Other papers took it up and asked why this man sh