Ah-hah! said Judge Priest; the infernal scoundrels! Even in this emergency his manner of speaking was almost deliberate; but he glanced toward the bookmakers block and made as if to go toward it.
That there Yankee bookmaker genleman hes into it too, added Jeff. I pintedly heared em both mention his name.
I might speak a few words in a kind of a warnin way to those two, purred Captain Buck Owings. Ive got a right smart money adventured on this trottin race myself. And he turned toward the track.
Too late for that either, son, said the old judge, pointing. Look yonder!
A joyful rumble was beginning to thunder from the grandstand. The constables had cleared the track, and from up beyond came the glint of the flashing sulky-spokes as the two conspirators wheeled about to score down and be off.
Then I think maybe Ill have to attend to em personally after the race, said Captain Buck Owings in a resigned tone.
Son, counseled Judge Priest, Id hate mightily to see you brought up for trial before me for shootin a rascal especially after the mischief was done. Id hate that mightily I would so.
But, Judge, protested Captain Buck Owings, I may have to do it! It oughter be done. Nearly everybody here has bet on Minnie May. Its plain robbin and stealin!
Thats so, assented the judge as Jeff danced a dog of excitement just behind him thats so. Its bad enough for those two to be robbin their own fellow-citizens; but its mainly the shame on our county fair Im thinkin of. The old judge had been a director and a stockholder of the County Jockey Club for twenty years or more. Until now its record had been clean. Tryin to declare the result off afterward wouldnt do much good. It would be the word of three white men against a nigger and nobody would believe the nigger, added Captain Buck Owings, finishing the sentence for him.
And the scandal would remain jest the same, bemoaned the old judge. Buck, my son, unless we could do something before the race it looks like its hopeless. Ah!
The roar from the grandstand above their heads deepened, then broke up into babblings and exclamations. The two trotters had swung past the mark, but Minnie May had slipped a length ahead at the tape and the judges had sent them back again. There would be a minute or two more of grace anyhow. The eyes of all three followed the nodding heads of the horses back up the stretch. Then Judge Priest, still watching, reached out for Jeff and dragged him round in front of him, dangling in his grip like a hooked black eel.
Jeff, dont I see a gate up yonder in the track fence right at the first turn? he asked.
Yas, suh, said
Jeff eagerly. Taint locked neither. I come through it mysef today. It opens on to a little road whut leads out past the stables to the big pike. I kin
The old judge dropped his wriggling servitor and had Captain Buck Owings by the shoulder with one hand and was pointing with the other up the track, and was speaking, explaining something or other in a voice unusually brisk for him.
See yonder, son! he was saying. The big oak on the inside and the gate is jest across from it!
Comprehension lit up the steamboat captains face, but the light went out as he slapped his hand back to his hip pocket and slapped it flat.
I knew Id forgot something! he lamented, despairingly. Needin one worse than I ever did in my whole life and then I leave mine home in my other pants!
He shot the judge a look. The judge shook his head.
Son, he said, the circuit judge of the first judicial district of Kintucky dont tote such things.
Captain Buck Owings raised a clenched fist to the blue sky above and swore impotently. For the third time the grandstand crowd was starting its roar. Judge Priests head began to waggle with little sidewise motions.
Sergeant Jimmy Bagby, late of Kings Hell hounds, rambled with weaving indirectness round the corner of the grandstand not twenty feet from them. His gangrened cartridge-box was trying to climb up over his left shoulder from behind, his eyes were heavy with a warm and comforting drowsiness, and his Springfields iron butt-plate was scurfing up the dust a yard behind him as he hauled the musket along by the muzzle.
The judge saw him first; but, even as he spoke and pointed, Captain Buck Owings caught the meaning and jumped. There was a swirl of arms and legs as they struck, and Sergeant Jimmy Bagby, sorely shocked, staggered back against the wall with a loud grunt of surprise and indignation.
Half a second later, side by side, Captain Buck Owings and Judge Priests Jeff sped northward across the earth, and Sergeant Jimmy Bagby staggered toward the only comforter near at hand, with his two empty arms upraised. Filled with a great and sudden sense of loss he fell upon Judge Priests neck, almost bearing his commander down by the weight of his grief.
Carried her four years! he exclaimed piteously; four endurin years, Judge, and not a single dam Yankee ever laid his hand on her! Carried her ever since, and nobody ever dared to touch her! And now to lose her this away!