Page:The traitor; a story of the fall of the invisible empire (IA traitorstoryoffa00dixo).pdf/337

 over dat into dis house ter-day an' jestify ergin Marse John Graham she fling er spell over me. I ax de cote fer pertection, sah. I axes de Sheriff ter take dat bunch er hair from under dem steps fo' I say annuder word!"

"Silence, sir, and proceed with your testimony," said the Judge.

Aunt Julie Ann fanned her fat face, smiled at Stella and Susie and quietly slipped her hand in Alfred's.

Isaac dropped into his chair limp and crestfallen. In a sort of dazed trance he kept his eye fixed on Alfred's face grinning in triumph.

John's lawyer pounced on him in sudden sharp accents.

"Is this a pair of your shoes, Isaac?"

"Yassah," was the listless answer.

"You wore these shoes the night the Judge was killed, didn't you?"

"Yassah."

"You're sure of it?"

"Yassah. Dem's my ole ones. I got a new pair now."

The lawyer stepped close and in threatening tones asked:

"Will you explain to this Court what your shoes were doing making tracks in the soft mud of the underground passage from the family