hat's all right," said Bull.

"Prisoner O'Flynn, you are charged with assaulting a woman, you others
with aiding and abetting. Guilty or not guilty?"

"It's a fact," said Whiskers sadly, "and all three of us wishes to say
what's got to be said"--he drew himself up to his full height--"by
gentlemen! We tried to force a lady to give her husband away. She shamed
us, and we honors Mrs. Smith for what she done. She told us to go to
blazes. Yes, sir! We just owns up that we're guilty as hell, as the best
way of showing our respect."

"Gentlemen," Captain Taylor spoke very gently. "I understand that you,
O'Flynn, received two wounds in punishment, and that two of your
comrades were killed by the men who avenged this affront. Is that true?"

"It's a fact."

"The verdict of the court is, 'not guilty.'

"But prisoner, your confession proves the right of the settlers to
organize for defense of the settlement until the constable could be
brought to their help. All you settlers who have taken part in the
capture of these prisoners are engaged by the province as special
constables from the day you undertook service, until I give you your
discharge. You will be paid on such a scale as I direct.

"Rudolf Schweinfurth."

The marshal came forward and was sworn.

"You are a United States marshal?"

"Yes, your honor."

"You submit proof?"

The marshal's credentials were read.

"You claim these prisoners for extradition?"

"Yes, sir."

"Sit down. Cyrus Y. Jones." The other stockman was sworn. "You are
representative of certain stock associations and submit proof? Right.
You claim certain cattle alleged to be stolen, and found in possession
of the prisoners? Right. You submit photographs identifying certain of
these cattle and evidence of theft. And you offer twenty-five thousand
dollars' reward for recovery of the stock. Pay that money into court and
take my receipt.

"Prisoners, you are charged in your own country with robbery-under-arms
and homicide in various degrees. Now, I don't pretend to understand to
what particular degree you may or may not have murdered people, but it
seems to me that being killed even to a very slight extent must be
damned inconvenient. I don't want to know whether you're guilty or not
guilty, because it's no business of mine. I do know that this official
who claims you represents the republic. I have plenty of evidence that
you were found in this country under suspicious circumstances, and t