The Sport of the Gods | Page 9

did you get this money?"
"Why, I wo'ked fu' it, o' co'se, whaih you s'pose I got it? 'T ain't
drappin' off trees, I reckon, not roun' dis pa't of de country."

"You worked for it? You must have done a pretty big job to have got so
much money all in a lump?"
"But I did n't git it in a lump. Why, man, I 've been savin' dat money fu
mo'n fo' yeahs."
"More than four years? Why did n't you put it in the bank as you got
it?"
"Why, mos'ly it was too small, an' so I des' kep' it in a ol' sock. I tol'
Fannie dat some day ef de bank did n't bus' wid all de res' I had, I 'd put
it in too. She was allus sayin' it was too much to have layin' 'roun' de
house. But I des' tol' huh dat no robber was n't goin' to bothah de po'
niggah down in de ya'd wid de rich white man up at de house. But
fin'lly I listened to huh an' sposited it yistiddy."
"You 're a liar! you 're a liar, you black thief!" Oakley broke in
impetuously. "You have learned your lesson well, but you can't cheat
me. I know where that money came from."
"Calm yourself, Mr. Oakley, calm yourself."
"I will not calm myself. Take him away. He shall not stand here and lie
to me."
Berry had suddenly turned ashen.
"You say you know whaih dat money come f'om? Whaih?"
"You stole it, you thief, from my brother Frank's room."
"Stole it! My Gawd, Mistah Oakley, you believed a thing lak dat aftah
all de yeahs I been wid you?"
"You 've been stealing all along."
"Why, what shell I do?" said the servant helplessly. "I tell you, Mistah
Oakley, ask Fannie. She 'll know how long I been a-savin' dis money."

"I 'll ask no one."
"I think it would be better to call his wife, Oakley."
"Well, call her, but let this matter be done with soon."
Fannie was summoned, and when the matter was explained to her, first
gave evidences of giving way to grief, but when the detective began to
question her, she calmed herself and answered directly just as her
husband had.
"Well posted," sneered Oakley. "Arrest that man."
Berry had begun to look more hopeful during Fannie's recital, but now
the ashen look came back into his face. At the word "arrest" his wife
collapsed utterly, and sobbed on her husband's shoulder.
"Send the woman away."
"I won't go," cried Fannie stoutly; "I 'll stay right hyeah by my husband.
You sha'n't drive me away f'om him."
Berry turned to his employer. "You b'lieve dat I stole f'om dis house
aftah all de yeahs I 've been in it, aftah de caih I took of yo' money an'
yo' valybles, aftah de way I 've put you to bed f'om many a dinnah, an'
you woke up to fin' all yo' money safe? Now, can you b'lieve dis?"
His voice broke, and he ended with a cry.
"Yes, I believe it, you thief, yes. Take him away."
Berry's eyes were bloodshot as he replied, "Den, damn you! damn you!
ef dat 's all dese yeahs counted fu', I wish I had a-stoled it."
Oakley made a step forward, and his man did likewise, but the officer
stepped between them.
"Take that damned hound away, or, by God! I 'll do him violence!"

The two men stood fiercely facing each other, then the handcuffs were
snapped on the servant's wrist.
"No, no," shrieked Fannie, "you must n't, you must n't. Oh, my Gawd!
he ain 't no thief. I 'll go to Mis' Oakley. She nevah will believe it." She
sped from the room.
The commotion had called a crowd of curious servants into the hall.
Fannie hardly saw them as she dashed among them, crying for her
mistress. In a moment she returned, dragging Mrs. Oakley by the hand.
"Tell 'em, oh, tell 'em, Miss Leslie, dat you don't believe it. Don't let
'em 'rest Berry."
"Why, Fannie, I can't do anything. It all seems perfectly plain, and Mr.
Oakley knows better than any of us, you know."
Fannie, her last hope gone, flung herself on the floor, crying, "O Gawd!
O Gawd! he 's gone fu' sho'!"
Her husband bent over her, the tears dropping from his eyes. "Nevah
min', Fannie," he said, "nevah min'. Hit 's boun' to come out all right."
She raised her head, and seizing his manacled hands pressed them to
her breast, wailing in a low monotone, "Gone! gone!"
They disengaged her hands, and led Berry away.
"Take her out," said Oakley sternly to the servants; and they lifted her
up and carried her away