Then he ignored Brown and turned to the accusers. “Mr. Bostick, y’all don’t need me here, and I’ve got other things to do. Just see that justice is done.”

Clarke then left the tavern, and all eyes turned to Bostick, who consulted briefly with his companions and then announced, “We’ll call our first witness, Mr. Leander.”

The herdsman whom he had seen in the tavern in Orangeburg stepped forward and said, “This man was in a group of us good citizens last week, trying to tell us that only loyal Tories would be able to sell their goods in Charles Town, and others might even be subject to Indian attacks on our homes. He also spoke as a friend of John Stuart, who we know to be stirring up the savages against us.”

Brown said, “That’s a lie,” and decided not to speak further.

Relishing his position as presiding officer, Bostick asked, “What do you have to say in your defense?”

When there was no response, he added, “I find you guilty as charged, and this jury will now decide on a sentence.”

After a brief consultation with his cronies, Bostick announced, “We have decided to give you the same sentence as was awarded to a traitor last month in Savannah. You are to be tarred and feathered, and dragged around the street until you confess to your crimes and pledge not to repeat them. Is there any objection from other members of this legal and respected court?”

There was no response.

“If not, you will stay under guard here tonight, and we’ll reconvene at sunrise to execute the sentence. In the meantime, Mr. Jarvis will put a bandage on the little scratch on your head.”

One of the men said, “Most of the tar is going to stick in his long hair with all that blood. Shouldn’t we scalp him first?”

Everyone laughed, and Bostick said, “No, but take a sharp knife and relieve him of that tangled mess so the bandage will do more good.”

•  •  •

His almost bald and badly aching head now bandaged, Brown lay in the corner of the room, on his side and with his hands still bound. He could see that at all times one of the men was there guarding him while the others moved in and out of the tavern, drinking, telling jokes, and laughing. He cursed the day he had come to this lawless country. It was inconceivable that such a thing as this could happen, and he was quite sure during the long night that local officials would hear of what was happening and come to release him.