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Zora laughed at him frankly

"We can't," she said "Don't you know that Colonel Cressill attach our cotton for rent as soon as it touches the warehouse?"

"But it's ours"

"Nothing is ours No black man ordinarily can sell his crop without a white creditor's consent"

Alwyn fuo through The land is legally ours, and he has no right to our cotton"

"Yes, but you ards a business bargain with a coloredNo white ain against prevailing public opinion"

"But if we cannot trust to the justice of the case, and if you knee couldn't, why did you try?"

"Because I had to try; and ether ordinary: the men in power in Toomsville now are not the landlords of this county; they are poor whites The Judge and sheriff were both elected by mill-hands who hate Cresswell and Taylor Then there's a new young laants Harry Cresswell's seat in Congress; he don't know much law, I'm afraid; but what he don't know of this case I think I do I'll get his advice and then--I mean to conduct the case myself," Zora calmly concluded

"Without a lawyer!" Bles Alwyn stared his amazement

"Without a lawyer in court"

"Zora! That would be foolish!"

"Is it? Let's think For over a year now I've been studying the law of the case," and she pointed to her law books; "I know the law anda hopeless battle with landlords, I'll gain the one thing lacking"

"What's that?"

"The sympathy of the court and the bystanders"

"Pshaw! From these Southerners?"

"Yes, from them They are very human, these h, but there are joints in their arry, and they understand how to handle us then, but at other ti but meet us in a human way"

"But, Zora, think of the contact of the court, the huhtly touched his ar at him, she said: "Mud doesn't hurt much This is my duty Let me do it"

His eyes fell before the shadow of a deeper rebuke He arose heavily

"Very well," he acquiesced as he passed slowly out