ved on the previous trial would sit until that could
be done.

A slip of paper was drawn from a box and a name was called. A man
sitting on one of the front rows of spectators' seats got up and came
forward. One of Sidney's assistants rummaged through a card file he had
in front of him and handed a card to the chief of the defense. At once,
Sidney was on his feet.

"Challenged, for cause!" he called out. "This man is known to have
declared, in conversation at the bar of the Silver Peso Saloon, here in
New Austin, that these three boys, my clients, ought all to be hanged
higher than Haman."

"Yes, I said that!" the venireman declared. "I'll repeat it right here:
all three of these murdering skunks ought to be hanged higher than--"

"Your Honor!" Sidney almost screamed. "If, after hearing this man's
brazen declaration of bigoted class hatred against my clients, he is
allowed to sit on that bench--"

Judge Nelson pounded with his gavel. "You don't have to instruct me in
my judicial duties, Counselor," he said. "The venireman has obviously
disqualified himself by giving evidence of prejudice. Next name."

The next man was challenged: he was a retired packing-house operator in
New Austin, and had once expressed the opinion that Bonneyville and
everybody in it ought to be H-bombed off the face of New Texas.

This Sidney seemed to have gotten the name of everybody likely to be
called for court duty and had something on each one of them, because he
went on like that all morning.

"You know what I think," Stonehenge whispered to me, leaning over behind
Parros. "I think he's just stalling to keep the court in session until
the z'Srauff fleet gets here. I wish we could get hold of one of those
wrist watches."

"I can get you one, before evening," Hoddy offered, "if you don't care
what happens to the mutt that's wearin' it."

"Better not," I decided. "Might tip them off to what we suspect. And we
don't really need one: Sir Rodney will have patrols out far enough to
get warning in time."

We took an hour, at noon, for lunch, and then it began again. By 1647,
fifteen minutes before court should be adjourned, Judge Nelson ordered
the bailiff to turn the clock back to 1300. The clock was turned back
again when it reached 1645. By this time, Clement Sidney was probably
the most unpopular man on New Texas.

Finally, Colonel Andrew J. Hickock rose to his feet.

"Your Honor: the present court is not obliged to retire from