Page:The traitor; a story of the fall of the invisible empire (IA traitorstoryoffa00dixo).pdf/37

 Major you saw last night wasn't the real man himself?"

"Cose I'se sho'. Hit wuz his speret!"

"Alfred says he's walking in his sleep of late; at least he found mud on his shoes the other morning when he got up."

"De Lawd, Marse John, hit wuz his speret, des lak I tell ye. He didn't look crazy no mo'n you is. He look des lak he look in de ole days when we wuz all rich an' proud and happy. He wuz laughin' an' talkin' low like to my Missy an' she wuz laughin' an talkin' back at 'im. I seed 'em bof wid my own eyes des ez plain ez I see you now, chile."

"You thought you did, anyway."

"Cose I did, honey. De doors is all locked an' bolted wid new iron bolts—nuttin but sperets kin get in dis house atter dark—de Jedge he sees 'em too—des ez plain ez I did."

"And this coward is set to rule a downtrodden people," John muttered fiercely under his breath. "Yes it's easy, he'll do what I tell him to-night, or—I'll—use—the—power I wield—to—execute—the—judgment—of—a—just—God."

"What you say, honey?" Aunt Julie Ann asked.

"Nothing."

"Dar's de Jedge commin' now," she whispered, hastily leaving.