"I suppose you told the house servants to keep her under observation ?" continued the judge.
"I don't talk to no niggers," replied Hicks, "except to give 'em my orders." "Well, did you give them that order ?" "No, I didn't." The sudden and hurried entrance of big Steve brought the judge's examination of Mr.Hicks to a standstill.
"Mas'r, you know dat 'ar coachman George--the big black fellow dat took you into town las' evenin'?
I jes' been down at Shanty Hill whar Milly, his wife, is carryin' on something scandalous 'cause George ain't never come home!" Steve was laboring under intense excitement, but he ignored the presence of the overseer and addressed himself to Slocum Price.
"Well, what of that ?" cried Hicks quickly.
"Thar warn't no George, mind you, Mas'r, but dar was his team in de stable this mo'ning and lookin' mighty nigh done up with hard driving." "Yes." interrupted Hicks uneasily; "put a pair of lines in a nigger's hands and he'll run any team off its legs!" "An' the kerriage all scratched up from bein' thrashed through the bushes," added Steve.
"There's a nigger for you!" said Hicks.

"She took the rascal out of the field, dressed him like he was a gentleman and pampered him up, and now first chance he gets he runs off!" "Ah!" said the judge softly.

"Then you knew this ?" "Of course I knew--wa'n't it my business to know?
I reckon he was off skylarking, and when he'd seen the mess he'd made, the trifling fool took to the woods.

Well, he catches it when I lay hands on him!" "Do you know when and under what circumstances the team was stabled, Mr.
Hicks ?" inquired the judge.
"No, I don't, but I reckon it must have been along after dark," said Hicks unwillingly.

"I seen to the feeding just after sundown like I always do, then I went to supper," Hicks vouchsafed to explain.
"And no one saw or heard the team drive in ?" "Not as I know of," said Hicks.
"Mas'r Ca'ington's done gone off to get a pack of dawgs--he 'lows hit's might' important to find what's come of George," said Steve.
Hicks started violently at this piece of news.
"I reckon he'll have to travel a right smart distance to find a pack of dogs," he muttered.