Morris and his friends, but from the townsmen as
well. Of course all this could be avoided by showing them that the jail was
empty; but to do this would be at this stage to insure the fugitive's
capture and death. To save the negro he must hold the jail as long as
possible, and if he had to shoot, shoot into the ground. All this was quite
clear to him; what was not clear was what these men would do when they
found that he had saved the negro, and they had stormed an empty jail.
He was an old soldier, and had been in many battles; he had fought hardest
when he knew that things were most hopeless; he had risked his life
recklessly, and death had been as nothing to him when he had thought that
he would die for his country. But now--now to risk his life for a negro,
for a worthless creature who he thought deserved hanging--was this his
duty? Why not say, "I have sent the negro to the city"? How quickly those
fierce horsemen would dash away down the road! Well, why not? He drew
himself up. He was not going to turn coward at this late day. His duty lay
very plain before him, and he would not flinch. And he fixed his eyes once
more on the little stick he was cutting, and waited.
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