or bein' whot
he ar. So guv him a coat uv tar--a ride on a rail--a duckin' in th'
pond--arything thet's 'cordin' ter his natur an' his merits; but doan't
ye take 'way his _life_! Ef ye does thet, he's _lost_--LOST
furever; fur, I swar ter ye, his soul ar so small, thet ef it was once
out uv his body, th' LORD himself couldn't find it, an' th'
pore feller'd hev ter gwo wand'rin' 'round with nary whar ter stay, an'
nary friends, aither in heaven or t'other place! So be easy with him,
gintlemen! Guv him one more chance. Let him stay yere a spell longer,
fur yere his soul may grow. An' it _kin_ grow! Everything in natur
grows--even skunks; an' who knows but Mulock may sprout out yit, an'
grow ter be a MAN!

'I'se nuthin' more ter say, gintlemen, only this: Afore ye make up yer
minds ter bring Mulock in guilty uv death, jest put yerselfs inter his
place, an' ax yerselfs ef _ye'd_ like ter hev a rope put 'round yer
windpipe, as ye'd put it 'round his'n! Ef ye wudn't, jest remember,
'tain't manly ter use ary 'nother man in a how ye wudn't like ter be
used yerselfs. I'm done.'

Larkin was frequently interrupted, during the delivery of this address,
by the loud shouts and laughter of the crowd; but, at its close, a
perfect tornado of applause swept over the multitude, and a hundred
voices called out:

'No; doan't ye hang him.' 'Give him one more chance.' 'Doan't gwo more'n
the tar.' 'Larkin's a loryer, shore.'

Amid these and similar exclamations, the jury retired to the little
grove of liveoaks. In about fifteen minutes they returned to their
seats.

'Gentlemen of the jury,' said Gaston, 'have you agreed on your verdict?'

''Greed on one thing, Major Gaston,' said the foreman, rising; 'hain't
on t'other.'

'On what have you agreed?'

'On whippin' th' young 'ooman.'

'What say you on that--guilty, or not guilty?'

'Guilty.'

'And so say you all?'

'Yas, Major.'

'How do you stand on the other charge?'

'Four gwo in fur guilty; th' rest on us think Jake Larkin 'bout right as
ter hangin' on him.'

'It is not for Mr. Larkin, or you, to say what shall be done with the
prisoner. You are to decide whether he is or is not guilty of
instigating the murder of his wife. You must retire again, until you
agree upon that.'

''Twouldn't be uv no use; Major. We reckon he's mean 'nuff ter hev done
it; but whether he done it, or no, we gwo fur givin' him a chance ter
live.

'Ye're white men, I swar!' cried Larkin, sprin