e time. I'd like to do that much fur him. As
fur me, Jedge, it don't make much diffunce whuther I'm locked up or not.
An' say, if it ain't stretchin' a p'int, I'll take it all, but don't let
him know how it come about."

The Judge looked at him and his eye was not hard. "Go on, young man. You
don't know where you got that spirit of self-sacrifice--you can never
know; but I appreciate it. Go on, young man."

CHAPTER XXV.

TOO PROUD TO BEG.

"The old man may tell the truth," said the Judge. "Mr. Foster, have him
brought in."

Foster stepped to a side door, opened it, looked in and beckoned. He
stood aside and old Jasper walked into the room.

"Judge," said the Marshal, "this is the prisoner."

"Where is the Jedge?" Jasper inquired, looking about.

"This is Judge Elliott," the Marshal answered, motioning.

"Jedge Elliott!"

"Yes, I am Judge Elliott."

He stood looking straight at the Judge. "Then, suh, I can't say that I'm
glad to meet you."

"Nor I to meet you, under such circumstances, Mr. Starbuck. I am indeed
sorry to see so venerable a looking man brought here on a charge so
serious. And I request from you a straightforward statement."

Old Jasper turned toward Foster. "I can't talk while he's in here,
Jedge. He seed me in jail and I can't talk befo' no man that has seed me
there."

"You needn't hesitate to speak within his hearing, Mr. Starbuck. He was
a soldier, too."

"What, all soldiers? Then I have been tuck into camp."

"But not into the camp of your enemies. At a time when your state took
up arms against the Federal government, you stepped forth to fight for
the Union, and it is in consideration of this fact that I grant to you
an examination here in chambers, to save you every possible humiliation.
And now I ask you--"

"Jedge, I didn't come here to beg."

"I understand that. I simply request a straightforward statement."

"If you will let me give it in my own way, Jedge, you shall have it."

"In your own way, Mr. Starbuck. Proceed."

"Well, then, I'll begin at the beginnin'. Jedge, I live away up in the
hills. My grandaddy settled there an' cleared off his field on a
hill-side where the sun struck it a slantin' an' raised his co'n an'
made his licker an' the gover'ment never said a word. One day him an'
his two sons was a workin' in the field an' all of a suddent they heard
a drum and fife over in the road. The boys looked with big eyes an' the
old man clim' up on the fence