The Quadroon Part 61

I was for some minutes kept in suspense. I could not tell what this dread council were debating, or what they meant to do with me--though I now felt quite certain that they did not intend taking me before any magistrate. From frequent phrases that reached my ears, such as, "flog the scoundrel", "tar and feathers," I began to conjecture that some such punishment awaited me. To my astonishment, however, I found, upon listening a while, that a number of my judges were actually opposed to these punishments as being too mild! Some declared openly, that _nothing but my life could satisfy the outraged laws_!

The _majority_ took this view of the case; and it was to add to their strength that Ruffin had been summoned!

A feeling of terrible fear crept over me--say rather a feeling of horror--but it was only complete when the ring of men suddenly broke up, and I saw two of their number lay hold of a rope, and commence reeving it over the limb of a gum-tree that stood by the edge of the glade.

There had been a trial and a sentence too. Even Judge Lynch has his formality.

When the rope was adjusted, one of the men--the negro-trader it was-- approached me; and in a sort of rude paraphrase of a judge, summed up and p.r.o.nounced the sentence!

I had outraged the laws; I had committed two capital crimes. I had stolen slaves, and endeavoured to take away the life of a fellow-creature. A jury of twelve men had tried--and found me guilty; and sentenced me to death by hanging. Even this was not permitted to go forth in an informal manner. The very phraseology was adopted. I was to be hung by the neck until I should be dead--dead!

You will deem this relation exaggerated and improbable. You will think that I am sporting with you. You will not believe that such lawlessness can exist in a Christian--a civilised land. You will fancy that these men were sporting with _me_, and that in the end they did not seriously intend to _hang me_.

I cannot help it if you think so; but I solemnly declare that such was their design: and I felt as certain at that moment that they intended to have hanged me, as I now feel that I was not hanged!

Believe it or not, you must remember that I would not have been the first victim by many, and that thought was vividly before my mind at the time.

Along with it, there was the rope--there the tree--there stood my judges before me. Their looks alone might have produced conviction. There was not a ray of mercy to be seen.

At that awful moment I knew not what I said or how I acted.

I remember only that my fears were somewhat modified by my indignation.

That I protested, menaced, swore--that my ruthless judges answered me with mockery.

They were actually proceeding to put the sentence into execution--and had already carried me across to the foot of the tree--when the sound of trampling hoofs fell upon our ears, and the next moment a party of hors.e.m.e.n galloped into the glade.

CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT.

IN THE HANDS OF THE SHERIFF.

At sight of these hors.e.m.e.n my heart leaped with joy, for among the foremost I beheld the calm, resolute face of Edward Reigart. Behind him rode the sheriff of the parish, followed by a "posse" of about a dozen men--among whom I recognised several of the most respectable planters of the neighbourhood. Every one of the party was armed either with a rifle or pistols; and the manner in which they rode forward upon the ground, showed that they had come in great haste, and with a determined purpose.

I say my heart leaped with joy. An actual criminal standing upon the platform of the gallows could not have been more joyed at sight of the messenger that brought him reprieve or pardon. In the new-comers I recognised friends: in their countenances I read rescue. I was not displeased, therefore, when the sheriff, dismounting, advanced to my side, and placing his hand upon my shoulder, told me I was his prisoner "in the name of the law." Though brusquely done, and apparently with a degree of rudeness, I was not displeased either by the act or the manner. The latter was plainly a.s.sumed for a purpose; and in the act itself I hailed the salvation of my life. I felt like a rescued man.

The proceeding did not equally content my former judges, who loudly murmured their dissatisfaction. They alleged that I had already been tried by a jury of _twelve free citizens_--that I had been found guilty of n.i.g.g.e.r-stealing--that I had stolen _two n.i.g.g.e.rs_--that I had resisted when pursued, and had "wownded" one of my pursuers; and that, as all this had been "clarly made out," they couldn't see what more was wanted to establish my guilt, and that I ought to be _hung_ on the spot, without further loss of time.

The sheriff replied that such a course would be illegal; that the majesty of the law must be respected; that if I was guilty of the crimes alleged against me, the law would most certainly measure out full punishment to me; but that I must first be brought before a justice, and the charge legally and formally made out; and, finally, expressed his intention to take me before Justice Claiborne, the magistrate of the district.

An angry altercation ensued between the mob and the sheriffs party--in which but slight show of respect was paid to the high executive--and for some time I was actually in dread that the ruffians would carry their point. But an American sheriff is entirely a different sort of character from the idle gentleman who fills that office in an English county. The former is, in nine cases out of ten, a man of proved courage and action; and Sheriff Hickman, with whom my _quasi_ judges had to deal, was no exception to this rule. His "posse," moreover, hurriedly collected by my friend Reigart, chanced to have among their number several men of a similar stamp. Reigart himself, though a man of peace, was well-known to possess a cool and determined spirit; and there was the landlord of my hotel, and several of the planters who accompanied several of the young planters, behaved in a handsome manner; and the law prevailed.

Yes! thank Heaven and half-a-dozen n.o.ble men, the law prevailed--else I should never have gone out of that glade alive!

Justice Lynch had to give way to Justice Claiborne, and a respite was obtained from the cruel verdict of the former. The victorious sheriff and his party bore me off in their midst.

But though my ferocious judges had yielded for the present, it was not certain that they would not still attempt to rescue me from the hands of the law. To prevent this, the sheriff mounted me upon a horse--he himself riding upon one side, while an a.s.sistant of tried courage took the opposite. Reigart and the planters kept close to me before and behind; while the shouting, blaspheming mob followed both on horseback and afoot. In this way we pa.s.sed through the woods, across the fields, along the road leading into Bringiers, and then to the residence of "Squire" Claiborne--Justice of the Peace for that district.

Attached to his dwelling was a large room or office where the Squire was used to administer the magisterial law of the land. It was entered by a separate door from the house itself, and had no particular marks about it to denote that it was a hall of justice, beyond the fact that it was furnished with a bench or two to serve as seats, and a small desk or rostrum in one corner.

At this desk the Squire was in the habit of settling petty disputes, administering affidavits at a quarter of a dollar each, and arranging other small civic matters. But oftener was his magisterial function employed in sentencing the mutinous "darkie" to his due the sheriff-- sterling men, who were lovers of the law and lovers of fair play as well--and those, armed to the teeth, would have laid down their lives on the spot in defence of the sheriff and his demand. True, they were in the minority in point of numbers; but they had the law upon their side, and that gave them strength.

There was one point in my favour above all others, and that was, my accusers chanced to be unpopular men. Gayarre, as already stated, although professing a high standard of morality, was not esteemed by the neighbouring planters--particularly by those of American origin. The others most forward against me were known to be secretly instigated by the lawyer. As to Ruffin, whom I had "wounded," those upon the ground had heard the crack of his rifle, and knew that _he had fired first_.

In their calmer moments my resistance would have been deemed perfectly justifiable--so far as that individual was concerned.

Had the circ.u.mstances been different--had the "two n.i.g.g.e.rs" I had _stolen_ belonged to a popular planter, and not to Monsieur Dominique Gayarre--had Ruffin been a respectable citizen, instead of the dissipated half outlaw that he was--had there not been a suspicion in the minds of many present that it was _not_ a case of ordinary _n.i.g.g.e.r-stealing_, then indeed might it have gone ill with me, in spite of the sheriff and his party.

Even as it was, a long and angry altercation ensued--loud words, oaths, and gestures of menace, were freely exchanged--and both rifles and pistols were c.o.c.ked and firmly grasped before the discussion ended.

But the brave sheriff remained resolute; Reigart acted a most courageous part; my _ci-devant_ host, and proportion of stripes on the complaint of a conscientious master--for, after all, such theoretical protection does the poor slave enjoy.

Into this room, then, was I hurried by the sheriff and his a.s.sistants-- the mob rus.h.i.+ng in after, until every available s.p.a.ce was occupied.

CHAPTER SEVENTY NINE.

THE CRISIS.

No doubt a messenger had preceded us, for we found Squire Claiborne in his chair of office, ready to hear the case. In the tall, thin old man, with white hair and dignified aspect, I recognised a fit representative of justice--one of those venerable magistrates, who command respect not only by virtue of age and office, but from the dignity of their personal character. In spite of the noisy rabble that surrounded me, I read in the serene, firm look of the magistrate the determination to show fair play.

I was no longer uneasy. On the way, Reigart had told me to be of good cheer. He had whispered something about "strange developments to be made;" but I had not fully heard him, and was at a loss to comprehend what he meant. In the hurry and crush I had found no opportunity for an explanation.

"Keep up your spirits!" said he, as he pushed his horse alongside me.

"Don't have any fear about the result. It's rather an odd affair, and will have an odd ending--rather unexpected for somebody, I should say-- ha! ha! ha!"

Reigart actually laughed aloud, and appeared to be in high glee! What could such conduct mean?

I was not permitted to know, for at that moment the sheriff, in a high tone of authority, commanded that no one should "hold communication with the prisoner;" and my friend and I were abruptly separated. Strange, I did not dislike the sheriff for this! I had a secret belief that his manner--apparently somewhat hostile to me--was a.s.sumed for a purpose.

The mob required conciliation; and all this _brusquerie_ was a bit of management on the part of Sheriff Hickman.

On arriving before Justice Claiborne, it required all the authority of both sheriff and justice to obtain silence. A partial lull, however, enabled the latter to proceed with the case.

"Now, gentlemen!" said he, speaking in a firm, magisterial tone, "I am ready to hear the charge against this young man. Of what is he accused, Colonel Hickman?" inquired the justice, turning to the sheriff.

"Of negro-stealing, I believe," replied the latter.

"Who prefers the charge?"

"Dominique Gayarre," replied a voice from the crowd, which I recognised as that of Gayarre himself.

"Is Monsieur Gayarre present?" inquired the justice.

The voice again replied in the affirmative, and the fox-like face of the avocat now presented itself in front of the rostrum.

"Monsieur Dominique Gayarre," said the magistrate, recognising him, "what is the charge you bring against the prisoner? State it in full and upon oath."

Gayarre having gone through the formula of the oath, proceeded with his plaint in true lawyer style.