en. He came over and shook her hand warmly, and this
time no one laughed.

It was really not worth while prolonging the case, and the prosecution
was nervous. The way that old black woman took the court and its
officers into her bosom was enough to disconcert any ordinary tribunal.
She patronised the judge openly before the hearing began and insisted
upon holding a gentle motherly conversation with the foreman of the
jury.

She was called to the stand as the very first witness.

"What is your name?" asked the attorney.

"Now, Bobby, what is you axin' me dat fu'? You know what my name is, and
you one of de Fairfax fambly, too. I 'low ef yo' mammy was hyeah, she'd
mek you 'membah; she'd put you in yo' place."

The judge rapped for order.

"That is just a manner of proceeding," he said; "you must answer the
question, so the rest of the court may know."

"Oh, yes, suh, 'scuse me, my name hit's Dicey Fairfax."

The attorney for the defence threw up his hands and turned purple. He
had a dozen witnesses there to prove that they had known the woman as
Jane Callender.

"But did you not give your name as Jane Callender?"

"I object," thundered the defence.

"Do, hush, man," Sis' Dicey exclaimed, and then turning to the
prosecutor, "La, honey, you know Jane Callender ain't my real name, you
knows dat yo'se'f. It's des my bus'ness name. W'y, Sis' Jane Callender
done daid an' gone to glory too long 'go fu' to talk erbout."

"Then you admit to the court that your name is not Jane Callender?"

"Wha's de use o' my 'mittin', don' you know it yo'se'f, suh? Has I got
to come hyeah at dis late day an' p'ove my name an' redentify befo' my
ol' Miss's own chile? Mas' Bob, I nevah did t'ink you'd ac' dat away.
Freedom sutny has done tuk erway yo' mannahs."

"Yes, yes, yes, that's all right, but we want to establish the fact that
your name is Dicey Fairfax."

"Cose it is."

"Your Honor, I object--I----"

"Your Honor," said Fairfax coldly, "will you grant me the liberty of
conducting the examination in a way somewhat out of the ordinary lines?
I believe that my brother for the defence will have nothing to complain
of. I believe that I understand the situation and shall be able to get
the truth more easily by employing methods that are not altogether
technical."

The court seemed to understand a thing or two himself, and overruled the
defence's objection.

"Now, Mrs. Fairfax----"

Aunt Dicey snorted. "Hoomph? What? Mis'