FOLKS FROM DIXIE
"Are you ready, gentlemen?"
But evidently Harrison Randolph was not. He was paying no attention to the seconds. His eyes were fixed on an object behind his opponent's back. His attitude relaxed and his mouth began twitching. Then he burst into a peal of laughter.
"Pete," he roared, "drop that and come out from there!" and away he went into another convulsion of mirth. The others turned just in time to see Pete cease his frantic grimaces of secrecy at his master, and sheepishly lower an ancient fowling-piece which he had had levelled at Bob Lee.
"What were you going to do with that gun levelled at me?" asked Lee, his own face twitching.
"I was gwine to fiah jes' befo' dey said free. I wa'n't gwine to kill you, Mas' Bob. I was on'y gwine to lame you."
Another peal of laughter from the whole crowd followed this condescending statement.
"You unconscionable scoundrel, you! If I was your master, I'd give you a hundred lashes."
"Pete," said his master, "don't you know that it is dishonourable to shoot a man from be-
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