The Judge gave a sharp little angry cough, pulled his long black whiskers and crossed his legs quickly. Isaac glanced at him and walled his eyes at the dusky crowd who broke into another roar of laughter. “Yassah!” he went on, “I met Judge Butler comin’ down de hill lookin’ pow’ful sad. An’ he say ter me: “‘Isaac, whar ye gwine?’ “‘Gwine ter heben,’ sezzi. “‘Ye can’t git in!’ sezze. “‘Why so?’ sezzi. “‘Case ye got ter be er ridin’,’ sezze--‘I jes come down frum dar--an’ hits des lak I tell ye!’ “‘Is dat so?’ sezzi. “‘But I tell ye what we kin do, Isaac!’ sezze. “‘I’ll git on yo back an’ ride up to de gate, an’ we bof git in.” “Dat seem all right ter me fust off so I hump mysef an’ de Jedge git on my back, an’ I gallup up de hill ter de pearly gates, an’ de angel Gabul, he look over de fence an’ say: “‘Who’s dar?’ “‘Hit’s me, Jedge Butler,’ sezze. “‘Ridin’ er walkin’?’ de angel say. “‘Er ridin’!’ sezze. “An’ I chuckled ter myse’f dat I’se er settin my feet in de gates er glory! “An’ den de angel say: “‘Des hitch yer hoss outside an’ come in!’ “An’ bress God! ef de Jedge didn’t hitch me ter de pos’ on de outside an’ go in an’ leave me dar!” Again the crowd screamed with laughter. Wave after wave swept them while Isaac folded his hands across his little protruding stomach and laughed with them. In vain the chairman rapped for order. The Judge flushed red with anger and called Suggs to his side. Larkin bent low his face between his hands, convulsed with laughter. When at length the tumult wore itself out Isaac’s voice rang over the assembly in sharp vibrant triumphant tones: “An’ I moves yer, sah, dat we all unanimously second de motion er Brer Larkin!” Amid a shout of approval he sat down. The Carpetbagger, elated by his success, determined to make a bolder stroke, capture the entire delegation and put the Judge out of the race. He leaped to his feet and launched at once into an eloquent appeal for the equal rights of man, meaning, of course, the right of the Negro race to rule the white man of the South, the former slave to rule his master. Bold as a lion by instinct, he did not quibble over words. He told the Negro that his hour had come to strike for his right by force of arms if need be. He denounced the Ku Klux Klan in the bitterest terms. Every Negro followed his scathing words with breathless attention. For the moment he was the veritable prophet of the Most High God. Never before had they heard any man in public dare thus to arraign this dreaded order of white and scarlet horsemen. Here was their champion whose valiant soul knew not the fear of man, ghost, clansman or devil. He was transfigured before their yes into the white-haired prophet of the Lord, and they hung on his every word as inspired.