he had inflicted upon Manuel at the Dutch grog-shop, which
he had forced him into, but he would stop in the public street to hold
conversation with every cove he met, and keep the poor man standing for
public gaze, like chained innocence awaiting the nod of a villain. The
picture would have been complete, if a monster in human form were placed
in the foreground applying the lash, according to the statute laws of
South Carolina.

CHAPTER XI. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

IT is nine o'clock, on the morning of the 24th March, 1852. Manuel was
marched into the sheriff's office, situated in the court-house, on the
corner of Broad and Meeting streets. A large table stood in the centre
of the room, covered with sundry old papers and an inkstand. At one side
was an old sofa, bearing strong evidence of its being worn out at the
expense of the State. A few pine-wood and painted book-stands, several
tip-staffs, old broken-backed chairs, and last, but not least, a
wood-sawyer's buck-saw, stood here and there in beautiful disorder
around the room; while, as if to display the immense importance of the
office, a "cocked" hat with the judicial sword hung conspicuously above
the old sofa. A door opened upon the left hand, leading into the clerk's
office, where the books and archives of the office were kept. Mr.
Kanapeaux, the incumbent, exhibited a great deal of good feeling, which
it would have lost the sheriff none of his reputation to pattern after,
and kept his office in very respectable order.

"Come in 'ere, Manwell, or whatever yer name is," said Dunn, as he led
the way into the presence of Mr. Grimshaw, the lean, haggard-looking man
we have before described. His dark, craven features, as he sat peering
through his glasses at the morning news, gave him the appearance of a
man of whom little was, to be expected by those who had the misfortune
to fall into his hands.

"Ah! Dunn, you are the best officer in the city; 'pon my soul, these
fellows can't escape you! Where did you pick up that nigger?" said he,
with a look of satisfaction.

"A fat fee case, Mr. Grimshaw, 'contrary to law;' he's a Portugee
nigger. Never had so much trouble with a nigger in my life; I didn't
know but the fellow was going to preach a sermon. The Captain-he belongs
to a wrecked Englishman-wanted to come the gammon game with him, and
pass him for a white man; but sure he couldn't come that game over
meself and Duse, anyhow," said Dunn.

Without sayi