the thought of another handsome payoff for another just and true verdict。 His messenger had not contacted him。
〃How would y'all like to proceed？〃 the foreman asked。
Rita Mae Plunk had an especially hard and unforgiving look about her。 She was a rough woman with a house trailer； no husband； and two outlaws for sons； both of whom had expressed hatred for Carl Lee Hailey。 She had a few things she wanted to get off her large chest。
〃I got a few things I wanna say；〃 she informed Acker。
〃Fine。 Why don't we start with you； Miss Plunk； and go around the table。〃
〃I voted guilty yesterday in the first vote； and I'll vote guilty next time。 I don't see how anybody could vote not guilty； and I want just one of you to explain to me how you could vote in favor of this nigger！〃
〃Don't say that word again！〃 yelled Wanda Womack。
〃I'll say 'nigger' if I wanna say 'nigger；' and there ain't a damned thing you can do；〃 replied Rita Mae。
〃Please don't use that word；〃 said Frances McGowan。
〃I find it personally offensive；〃 said Wanda Womack。
〃Nigger； Nigger； Nigger； Nigger； Nigger； Nigger；〃 Rita Mae yelled across the table。
〃e on；〃 said Clyde Sisco。
〃Oh boy；〃 said the foreman。 〃Look； Miss Plunk； let's be honest； okay。 Most of us use that word； from time to time。
I'm sure some of us use it more than others。 But it's offensive to many people； and I think it'd be a good idea not to use it during our deliberations。 We've got enough to worry about as it is。 Can we all agree not to use that word？〃
Everyone nodded but Rita Mae。
Sue Williams decided to answer。 She was well dressed； attractive； about forty。 She worked for the county welfare department。 〃I didn't vote yesterday。 I passed。 But I tend to sympathize with Mr。 Hailey。 I have a daughter； and if she was raped； it would greatly affect my mental stability。 I can understand how a parent might crack in that situation； and I think it's unfair for us to judge Mr。 Hailey as if he was supposed to act pletely rational。〃
〃You think he was legally insane？〃 asked Reba Betts； an undecided。
〃I'm not sure。 But I know he wasn't stable。 He couldn't have been。〃
〃So you believe that nut of a doctor who testified for him？〃 asked Rita Mae。
〃Yes。 He was as believable as the State's doctor。〃
〃I liked his boots；〃 said Clyde Sisco。 No one laughed。
〃But he's a convict；〃 said Rita Mae。 〃He lied and tried to cover Ft up。 You can't believe a word he said。〃
〃He had sex with a girl under eighteen；〃 Clyde said。 〃If that's a crime； then a bunch of us should've been indicted。〃
Again； no one appreciated the attempt at humor。 Clyde decided to stay quiet for a while。
〃He later married the girl；〃 said Donna Lou Peck； an undecided。
They went around the table； one at a time； expressing opinions and answering questions。 The N word was carefully avoided by those wanting a conviction。 The battle lines became clearer。 Most of the undecideds leaned toward guilty； it seemed。 The careful planning by Carl Lee； knowing the exact movements of the boys； the M…16…it all seemed so premeditated。 If he had caught them in the act and killed them on the spot； he would not be held accountable。 But to plan it so carefully for six days did not indicate an insane mind。
Wanda Womack； Sue Williams； and Clyde Sisco leaned
toward acquittal…the rest toward conviction。 Barry Acker was noticeably nonmittal。
Agee unfurled a long blue and white FREE CARL LEE banner。 The ministers gathered fifteen abreast behind it； and waited for the parade to form behind them。 They stood in the center of Jackson Street； in front of the courthouse； while Agee screamed instructions to the masses。 Thousands of blacks packed tightly behind them； and off they went。 They inched down Jackson； and turned left on Caffey； up the west side of the square。 Agee led the marchers in their now familiar battle cry of 〃Free Carl Lee！ Free Carl Lee！〃 They screamed it in an endless； repetitive； numbing chorus。 As the crowd moved around the square； it grew in number and volume。
Smelling trouble； the merchants locked up and headed for home and safety。 They checked their policies to see if they were insured for riot damage。 The green soldiers were lost in a sea of black。 The colonel； sweating and nervous； ordered his troops to circle the courthouse and stand firm。 While Agee and the marchers were turning onto Washington Street； Ozzie met with the handful of Kluxers。 In a sincere and diplomatic way； he convinced them things could get out of hand； and he could no longer guarantee their safety。 He acknowledged their right to assemble； said they had made their point； and asked them to get away from the square before there was trouble。 They huddled quickly； and disappeared。
When the banner passed under the jury room； all twelve gaped from the window。 The incessant chanting rattled the glass panes。 The bullhorn sounded like a loudspeaker hanging from the ceiling。 The jurors stared in disbelief at the mob； the black mob which filled the street and trailed around the corner onto Caffey。 A varied assortment of homemade signs bobbed above the masses and demanded that the man be freed。
〃I didn't know there were this many niggers in Ford County；〃 Rita Mae Plunk said。 At that moment； the other eleven held the same thought。
Buckley was furious。 He and Musgrove watched from a third…floor window in the library。 The roar below had disrupted their quiet conversation。
〃I didn't know there were this many niggers in Ford County；〃 Musgrove said。
〃There ain't。 Somebody shipped these niggers in here。 I wonder who put them up to it。〃
〃Probably Brigance。〃
〃Yeah； probably so。 It's mighty convenient that they start all this hell…raising when the jury is deliberating。 There must be five thousand niggers down there。〃
〃At least。〃
Noose and Mr。 Pate watched and listened from a second…floor window in chambers。 His Honor was not happy。 He worried about his jury。 〃I don't see how they can concentrate on much with all this going on。〃
〃Pretty 。good timing； ain't it； Judge？〃 Mr。 Pate said。
〃It certainly is。〃
〃I didn't know we had that many blacks in the whole county。〃
It took twenty minutes for Mr。 Pate and Jean Gillespie to find the attorneys and bring the courtroom to order。 When it was quiet； the jurors filed into their seats。 There were no smiles。
Noose cleared his throat。 〃Ladies and gentlemen； it is time for lunch。 I don't suppose you have anything to report。〃
Barry Acker shook his head。
〃That's what I figured。 Let's break for lunch； until one…thirty。 I realize you cannot leave the courthouse； but I want you to eat for a while without working on the case。 I apologize for the disturbance outside； but； frankly； I can't do anything about it。 We'll be in recess until one…thirty。〃
In chambers； Buckley went wild。 〃This is crazy； Judge！ There's no way the jury can concentrate on this case with all that noise out there。 This is a deliberate effort to intimidate the jury。〃
〃I don't like it；〃 Noose said。
〃It was planned； Judge！ It's intentional！〃 Buckley yelled。
〃It looks bad；〃 Noose added。
〃I'm almost ready for a mistrial！〃
〃I won't grant one。 What do you say； Jake？〃
Jake grinned for a moment； and said； 〃Free Carl Lee。〃
〃Very funny；〃 Buckley growled。 〃You probably planned all this。〃
〃No。 If you will recall； Mr。 Buckley； I tried to prevent it。 I have repeatedly asked for a change of venue。 I have repeatedly said the trial should not be held in this courthouse。 You wanted it here； Mr。 Buckley； and you kept it here； Judge Noose。 You both now look foolish plaining。〃
Jake was impressed with his arrogance。 Buckley growled and stared out the window。 〃Look at them。 Wild niggers。 Must be ten thousand out there。〃
During lunch the ten thousand grew to fifteen thousand。 Cars from a hundred miles away…some with Tennessee plates…parked on the shoulders of the highways outside the city limits。 The people hiked for two and three miles under a blistering sun to join the festivities around the courthouse。 Agee broke for lunch； and the square quieted。
The blacks were peaceful。 They opened their coolers and picnic baskets； and shared with each other。 They congregated in the shade； but there were not enough