There was the note that Lamborn had written Zoe!  That proved that Lamborn was seeking her; but it might be used to prove that I resented his pursuit.  And why?  As Zoe’s brother, or as her unnatural lover?  My brain was in a whirl.  I could not think for myself.  I talked these subjects over with Reverdy and with Mr. Brooks, who was my counsel.  All these things were done the day of the killing.  The next morning, with the body of Lamborn lying in the room, I mounted the witness chair in my own behalf, after Reverdy had testified that he had seen Lamborn reach to his pocket, and that it was not until then that I drew my pistol and fired.

Was Douglas turned against me?  He plunged into the matter of Zoe almost at once in his cross examination of me.  And at last I told the whole story ... with but two exceptions:  I did not produce Lamborn’s note to Zoe and I did not tell of Zoe’s illness and its cause; of returning from St. Louis and finding Zoe in tears, of what she had told me, of the embarrassment I then found myself in, of my perplexity, of my failure to invite Lamborn to my housewarming and the reason for it, of Lamborn’s attitude toward me after that, his menacing looks, his growling insults when he saw me ... of all these things I told with full circumstantiality under the examination of the new state’s attorney, and with the whole of the countryside looking on, Whigs and Democrats, and with the audience permeated with slavery and with slavery feeling, at least so far as the present case was concerned.  What would Douglas now do?  He rose and in his deep voice, with perfect command of himself, looking over the audience as if it was a great instrument whose keys he knew, he spoke these brief words:  “Gentlemen, it makes no difference to me whether this girl is white or black; if you bind this young man over to the grand jury, I will do what I can to prevent an indictment; and if the grand jury indicts him I will do what I can to have him acquitted.  This dead man here met his just fate.”

The audience cheered.  The jury acquitted me without leaving their seats.  I walked a free man into the soft air of April.  Douglas came out.  His manner was changed.  He spoke to me in freedom and in the old tone of friendship.  “The boil is now open,” he said.  “The cut place will heal.”

And he walked with me down the street followed by a cheering crowd.  Douglas had won the people; and I was free!

CHAPTER XVII

I began to see myself as boring through opposition with lowered head and indomitable will.  I was strengthened by the fact that I had never swerved from my duty to Zoe.  And now that the beast was out of the way who had caused her so much agony, my whole life seemed cleared.  The McCall gang might cause me trouble, but they would need to come prepared, or to catch me off my guard.  The opening up of the whole case had had a wholesome effect upon my