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Most people in town, Japheth reported, were positively delighted with the news Everyone knew that Judge Corbett was “fair” and “honest” and “sensible” Judge Corbett “understands the trueof justice”

“That is exactly what I am afraid of,” I said

Having spent the first part offor certain: he ht cloak himself in eloquence, reason, and forroes ht be absolutely free, thanks to the detested Mr Lincoln, nowhere was it written that Negroes deserved to be absolutely equal

Judge Corbett and radually enshrined that inequality in law, and the highest court in the land had upheld its finding that “separate but equal” was good enough for everybody

Now the trial was less than a week away, and one huge question was still outstanding: ould the state of Mississippi send to prosecute the case?

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sp; “My sources in the capital have heard nothing about it,” Japheth told LJ and , holy secret”

Chapter 93

A WHILE LATER, the three of us were sitting on the west veranda of LJ’s house, watching the sunset and sipping bourbon over cracked ice

“Well, you gentlehty,” Japheth said, “but you’ve yet to give le piece of infor the names of the prosecution witnesses?”

“Watch out, LJ, he’s using one of his journalist’s tricks to get you to spill it,” I said

“Me?” LJ scoffed “What do I know? I don’t know anything I’ve been cut off by the entire town I’er-Lover Corbett Everybody from here to Jackson knohose side I’m on And you know any friend of Ben Corbett’s doesn’t have another friend between here and Jackson”

I clapped his shoulder “I appreciate what you’ve done, LJ”

It was right then that we heard a deep tenor voice, with a hint of so a firm bootstep down the upstairs hall

“If you need a friend from Jackson, maybe I can fill the bill”