Point of No Return (30 page)

“Your Honor,” he said respectfully, “the evidence is circumstantial and, if one were to interpret it as diabolical, one could do so. However, there was nothing diabolical in my activities. I can only submit myself to the mercy of the court and hope that you will see that I am an innocent man.”

The crowd called out for the liar to be hanged. Uncle Andrew sat down and leaned over to me. “If he finds me guilty, run for your life.”

The judge cleared his throat and spoke carefully. “I wish I could believe in your innocence, Mr. Jamison. But the evidence speaks otherwise. If your intent was not to promote the abolitionist cause or give assistance to the slave's escape, then please tell me your true purpose here. Everything indicates that it was
not
to study birds.”

A pause fell on the crowd as they strained to hear Uncle Andrew's reply. But he didn't have a chance to give one. A commotion erupted in the back of the courtroom. I turned around to see what was going on and nearly fell out of my chair with surprise.

Clarence walked into the room.

CHAPTER TEN

Matt tells about the surprise witness.

A
T THE BACK OF THE COURTROOM
, I stood with my eyes wide open and my mouth hanging down. Clarence waited by the door for a moment, looking unsure about what to do. Then he saw Mr. Mason and rushed forward. The crowd parted for him and gaped in wonder as he fell at Mr. Mason's feet and said over and over, “I'm sorry, Master. I'm sorry I ran away.”

The judge called for order in the court and insisted that Clarence take the stand and tell us what he was doing there. Looking tired and confused, Clarence agreed and sat down in the witness chair.

“All right, boy, tell us where you've been,” the judge said.

“Well, sir, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry—”

The judge snapped impatiently, “You're sorry—that much we understand. Now tell us the rest.”

Clarence swallowed hard, then began: “It's all my fault, sir. After Master Andrew here took off that terrible big head ornament with the bells—so we could look for birds like he wanted—I promised myself I never wanted that thing put back on my head. You don't know what it's like, sir, unless you had it on yourself. It must weigh almost 15 pounds, and my suffering was great. Not only did it make my head and neck ache something awful, but you can't even lie down to sleep. No, sir, I had to sleep crouching down like some kinda animal. And after it came off, I thought to myself that I was never gonna let it be put on again. Never again…” Clarence put his head down and started to cry.

Now, I have to say right here that I had talked to Clarence enough to know that he was a pretty smart man. But the Clarence who spoke in that courtroom wasn't anything at all like the person I knew. His voice was thick and shaky, and after a minute, it dawned on me that he was playing the part of the “dumb slave.”

“Get control of yourself, boy!” Mr. Mason growled. “Tell us what happened!”

Clarence wiped his nose with the side of his sleeve. “I tried to hide that hideous helmet in the woods. But later on, when Master Hickocks showed up with it, I was afraid. I knew he was going to put it back on my head, and it was more than I could stand. As he came near me, I felt a horrible, horrible panic deep inside my soul and it was like I was taken over by a wild animal. That's what it was like, sir. I turned into a wild animal and knocked poor Master Hickocks down and ran for the woods. I didn't know what came over me, 'cept I couldn't bear the thought of carrying that contraption on my head again.”

The crowd started mumbling to themselves. I couldn't figure out if they were sympathetic to Clarence's story or not.

“I hid in the woods until my senses came back to me,” Clarence explained. “And I thought that I had to go back, 'cause I didn't wanna be a runaway anymore. Mr. Mason's is a good place to work—”

With that, Mr. Mason sat up in his chair and nodded.

“—so I thought that I would just turn around and go back. I'd beg for mercy and pray for forgiveness. That's what I was gonna do, too, but then I fell in a hole in the woods and hurt my ankle. The pain was so bad I couldn't move, so I just waited in the woods until I could walk again.”

“Why did you come to this court?” the judge asked. “Why didn't you go back to the plantation?”

“I was going to, but on the road I heard it told that poor Master Andrew had been accused of helping me to run away. I felt awful, terrible. So I said to myself that I would come straight here so Master Andrew wouldn't be punished because of me. Here I am, Mr. Mason, and I'm sorry, sir. I'm sorry right down to my bones. I won't ever do anything like it again. You can even put the bells back on my head. That's how bad I feel.”

Mr. Mason waved his hand at Clarence as if to say that all was forgiven and he wouldn't put the helmet back on.

“Mr. Jamison,” the judge said, “considering this evidence, I order that you be released at once and please accept this court's apology for any inconvenience or slight of your character this case has caused.”

Reverend Andrew stood up. “Thank you, Your Honor. I am grateful for your time and the fair manner in which you conducted this investigation.”

“Case dismissed!” the judge shouted.

It's hard to describe the chaos of the courtroom then. The place erupted. Everyone crowded forward to shake Reverend Andrew's hand or commend Mr. Mason for getting his slave back. A lot of things happened at once. Everyone seemed amazed that it turned out the way it did. I glanced over at Jack, but I didn't dare yell or wave. Eveline and I had to stay still at Colonel Ross's side with serious expressions on our faces. I was pretty sure, though, that Eveline was bursting to see her dad.

Mr. Mason was all smiles again and shook Reverend Andrew's hand. “Mr. Jamison, I'm sorry for misjudging you. I should have respected my first impression that you were a true gentleman.”

“Think nothing of it, Mr. Mason,” Reverend Andrew said.

“There must be something I can do to make it up to you,” Mr. Mason said. “Will you dine with me this evening? Allow me hours of contrition for what I've done.”

“I will be happy to dine with you, sir, but I ask one other favor.”

“Name it,” Mr. Mason said.

“I beg you not to punish Clarence for what he's done. He admits he was a fool and behaved abominably against you and your overseer. But, for my sake, please do not punish him.”

Mr. Mason looked as if he might not agree, then nodded yes. “I won't punish him.”

Reverend Andrew shook Clarence's hand and they swapped an expression that made me realize how brave Clarence was to come back like he did. He risked his life for Reverend Andrew—and Jack. It'd be easy enough for Mr. Mason to go back on his word and punish Clarence hard for what he'd done. And I had no doubt that Mr. Hickocks, the overseer, would want a hand in that.

Somewhere in the confusion, Reverend Andrew leaned down and said something to Jack. Jack looked up at me as if he wanted to say something, but Colonel Ross signaled for us to follow him out of the courtroom. “Come on,” he growled.

I reluctantly obeyed and slowly followed. I didn't want the Colonel to have the satisfaction of seeing I still hurt. When we got out to his carriage, another man shouted at the Colonel, and they walked off together to talk. Eveline and I waited. I knew what she was thinking: She wanted to run to her father. I figured it was all she could do to stand still and just wait the way she was supposed to.

Jack suddenly came rushing through the front door of the court building, then saw us and tried to act casual. I looked around to make sure we weren't being watched, then wiggled a finger for him to come over.

“That was a close call,” he said.

“I was sweating bullets,” I said. My eyes locked on Eveline's and for the first time I noticed she'd been crying.

“Are you okay?” I asked her.

“I wanted to be with my daddy,” she said.

Jack double-checked to make sure no one was listening, then said quietly, “Maybe you can be with him
tonight
.”

Her face lit up.

“What's the plan?” I asked.

Jack shrugged. “I don't know, but Uncle Andrew said to be ready tonight. Can you make it?”

I stood up straight as if to show him that my back wasn't bothering me. “I'll make it. I'm all better.”

He looked at me as if he didn't believe me.

Jonah suddenly rounded the corner of the carriage and frowned when he saw Jack. “Scoot, boy,” he said. “You're nothing but trouble around here. Go about your business.”

“Yes, sir,” Jack said and walked away.

He glanced back at me and Eveline one last time. I smiled and mouthed the word
Tonight
.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Jack tells about the plan to escape.

A
T THE INN LATER
that afternoon, Uncle Andrew and I packed up the last of our things. “I don't get it,” I said. “Aren't we worse off than we were? How can we escape tonight?”

“Because after tonight, I don't believe Clarence will ever have a chance to escape again. Here's my idea: I will go to Mr. Mason's for dinner. After the meal, I will ask to see Clarence—to once again thank him for helping me today. I suspect that Mr. Mason won't put Clarence back in that atrocious head gear until he's certain I'm out of the area. After all, he promised he wouldn't punish the poor man.”

I sat on the edge of the bed. “So you'll get Clarence and make a run for it after dinner?”

“Crudely put, but correct. I will make as if to leave right after I see Clarence, then circle around to his quarters and escape.”

“What if Mr. Hickocks is there? What if they're keeping a close eye on him?” I asked.

Uncle Andrew looked at me impatiently. “I didn't say it was a
foolproof
plan. Many things could go wrong. But we must pray that we'll overcome any and all obstacles.”

I wished I had his confidence. “What about me?” I asked.

“I want you to run back to the Colonel's and help Matt and Eveline escape.”

“Oh,” I said. “Is that all? Just walk in and help them escape?”

Uncle Andrew chuckled. “I have a friend who will create a diversion to help you.”

“You keep talking about a friend who's gotten you information and sets things up. Just who is this guy?” I asked.

“Jack, in times like these, you never know when or where a friend will turn up,” he answered. “Just listen. Hide near the back door. When the diversion comes, take Matt and Eveline and run for the hollow tree.”

I folded my arms skeptically. “I don't know where the hollow tree is.”

Uncle Andrew grabbed a large sheet of paper from the dresser and spread it out on the bed. “Take a look at this map and you'll have all you need to know.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Matt tells about the escape.

I
COULDN'T FIGURE OUT
how in the world Reverend Andrew and Jack were going to get us all away. After the big courtroom drama, we went back to Colonel Ross's plantation and got to work as usual. Jonah told me to polish the silver in the dining room—which is what I was doing when the thunder roared and another storm dropped gallons of rain on us. The rain kept on going into the early evening.

The sun went down and Eveline and I kept looking at each other, wondering what was going to happen. It drove me crazy, waiting like that. To make matters worse, Jonah was in a bad mood and kept telling me to do things. I had a feeling that it was connected to the courtroom somehow. After all the excitement there, he seemed angry.

At one point, Scout, who was leashed to his doghouse just outside the back door, started barking at something. Jonah yelled at him to shut up.

I never heard Jonah yell like that.

“Go get some more wood for the fire,” he said. I had just finished sweeping the kitchen floor while Lizzie had Eveline cutting up carrots for dinner.

I looked out the back door at the downpour and hesitated.

“I said to go get some more wood!” he said harshly.

“Yes, sir,” I said and ran into the rain. Scout peeked his head out of the doghouse and snarled at me. I thought:
He's just waiting for the chance to bite me. I know it
. I ducked around the side of the shed to where we kept the split logs covered. Just as I reached down to grab an armload, someone grabbed me from behind.

I was afraid that it was Kinsey. He seemed to enjoy picking on the slaves—especially the house slaves, because he thought we were spoiled and pampered. I jerked away and spun around to face Jack.

“What took you so long?” I asked.

“I've been busy,” Jack said.

“Busy with what?” I teased.

“Busy waiting out here in the rain for you to come out. I couldn't figure out how to get your attention without everybody seeing me,” he said.

I smiled because he was soaked from head to toe, his dark hair matted against his face.

“What's so funny?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Nothing. What's the plan?”

“All I know is that a friend of Uncle Andrew's is going to create a diversion so you and Eveline can run out here. Then the three of us'll hightail it into the woods.”

“
That's
the plan?” I couldn't believe it.

“What did you expect? A squadron of helicopters to fly in and get you?”

“But who's this friend?”

“I don't know. Hasn't anybody shown up?”

“No. It's just the usual people. Colonel Ross's wife is supposed to come home from her trip tonight, but that's it.”

Jack rubbed his chin. “Do you think
she's
the friend?”

“Beats me.”

“Well, I'll wait out here. Hopefully whatever's gonna happen will happen
soon.
I'm getting cold.”