"Jedge Elliott!" she gasped, and Jasper whispered in her ear: "Don't let him know that his son has married our daughter. He would think we was a beggin'."

"Mrs. Starbuck," the Judge kindly spoke, "will you please retire until we have concluded this examination?"

"Yes, suh, but let me tell you about him, Jedge. I was po' an' I didn't have no home an' I was almost starvin' an' he married me, an'—you do love me, don't you, Jasper?"

"Yes, now go on as the Jedge tells you. Go on an' it will be all right an'—"

"You'll come too, won't you?"

"Yes, I'll be there putty soon. That's right, now, go on."

At the door she halted, and before going out, summed up all her arguments—a pitiful courtesy.

"Mr. Starbuck," said the Judge, "I am told that in resisting arrest you so badly injured a deputy that he is not able to be here to-day. I am inclined in every way to favor you, but that, as you must know, is a very serious charge."

"Jedge, that ain't true. I didn't resist arrest. Let me tell you about that man Peters. I have had mo' than one cause to kill him in se'f-defense, but I didn't want to do that. A man that has seed as much blood as you an' me has, don't want to kill nobody if he kin help it. Jedge, he is a hound. I had surrendered to the law and was standin' with my hands up, an' he come a runnin' to kill me with a knife, an' I smashed his infernal countenance. No, I didn't resist arrest."

Foster stepped forward. "Will your honor please permit me to speak a word. I was in charge of the expedition and the old man tells the truth. Deputy Peters did try to kill him."

"Captain," solemnly remarked the Judge, "issue an order for the arrest of Deputy Peters, and my word for it, Mr. Starbuck, he shall be dealt with severely. And now, old man, I may be exceeding my authority, but I have not the heart to send you to prison. Promise me that if I permit you to go home you will not—"

"Jedge, my granddaddy an' my daddy didn't have to make no sich promises to the gover'ment they help to save."

The Judge walked up and down the room. "Captain, I haven't the heart to send him to prison—I cannot. And Mr. Starbuck, if the marshal does not see you, walk out."

"Judge," the marshal spoke up, turning his back, "my old eyes are so bad I can't see anything."

Both men stood with their faces turned away. Jasper looked at them. Then came Margaret's voice, calling, "Jasper, Jasper."

"I'm a comin' Margaret, I'm a comin'," and slowly he walked toward the door. But at that moment there was a commotion in the corridor, Margaret was heard to cry out, "Why, where did you all come from," and then Tom, followed by Lou and Margaret, came hastily into the room. Jasper hastened to his daughter and whispered:

"Remember who you are."

The Judge was not looking. Tom walked round in front of him.

"Why!" exclaimed the jurist, still seeing no one but Tom, "When did you get back. And where is your—"

"Got back this minute. I have come to see you about Mr. Starbuck."

"Too late. He is discharged."

"I—I—thank you. He is my wife's father."

"What!" exclaimed the Judge, turning about, and then he saw Lou, standing with Margaret and the old man. He held out his hand and the girl came timidly to him. About her he put his one arm; upon the forehead he kissed her: "The daughter of patriots—my daughter. Mr. Starbuck, why didn't you tell me?"

"Jedge," the old man replied, "it would have looked like I was a cringin'. I know how to bleed for my country, but I don't know how to beg for myse'f."

THE END.

Announcement

This book was written from the drama of "The Starbucks," produced at the Dearborn Theatre, Chicago, with the following cast:

The illustrations for this edition (copyrighted, 1902, by William H. Lee), are made from photographs of the actual scenes and people of the play.

THE DEAD CITY

A Tragedy

By GABRIELLE D'ANNUNZIO