the children,
or would make a good skeercrow. What I am bid, gentlemen, for ol'
Peter French? The amount due the co't is twenty-fo' dollahs and a
half."

There was some laughter at the Squire's facetiousness. Turner, who had
bid on the young and strong men, turned away unconcernedly.

"You'd 'a' made a good auctioneer, Squire," said the one-armed man.

"Thank you, Mr. Pearsall. How much am I offered for this bargain?"

"He'd be dear at any price," said one.

"It's a great risk," observed a second.

"Ten yeahs," said a third.

"You're takin' big chances, Mr. Bennet," said another. "He'll die in
five, and you'll have to bury him."

"I withdraw the bid," said Mr. Bennet promptly.

"Two yeahs," said another.

The colonel was boiling over with indignation. His interest in the
fate of the other prisoners had been merely abstract; in old Peter's
case it assumed a personal aspect. He forced himself into the room and
to the front.

"May I ask the meaning of this proceeding?" he demanded.

"Well, suh," replied the Justice, "I don't know who you are, or what
right you have to interfere, but this is the sale of a vagrant nigger,
with no visible means of suppo't. Perhaps, since you're interested,
you'd like to bid on 'im. Are you from the No'th, likely?"

"Yes."

"I thought, suh, that you looked like a No'the'n man. That bein' so,
doubtless you'd like somethin' on the Uncle Tom order. Old Peter's
fine is twenty dollars, and the costs fo' dollars and a half. The
prisoner's time is sold to whoever pays his fine and allows him the
shortest time to work it out. When his time's up, he goes free."

"And what has old Peter done to deserve a fine of twenty dollars--more
money than he perhaps has ever had at any one time?"

"'Deed, it is, Mars Henry, 'deed it is!" exclaimed Peter, fervently.

"Peter has not been able," replied the magistrate, "to show this co't
that he has reg'lar employment, or means of suppo't, and he was
therefore tried and convicted yesterday evenin' of vagrancy, under our
State law. The fine is intended to discourage laziness and to promote
industry. Do you want to bid, suh? I'm offered two yeahs, gentlemen,
for old Peter French? Does anybody wish to make it less?"

"I'll pay the fine," said the colonel, "let him go."

"I beg yo' pahdon, suh, but that wouldn't fulfil the requi'ments of
the law. He'd be subject to arrest again immediately. Somebody must
take the responsibility for his keep."

"