the bench
until another court has been chosen as they are now sitting as a court
in being. I propose that the trial begin, with the present court on the
bench."

Sidney began yelling protests. Hoddy Ringo pulled his neckerchief around
under his left ear and held the ends above his head. Nanadabadian, the
Ambassador from Beta Cephus IV, drew his biggest knife and began trying
the edge on a sheet of paper.

"Well, Your Honor, I certainly do not wish to act in an obstructionist
manner. The defense agrees to accept the present court," Sidney decided.

"Prosecution agrees to accept the present court," Goodham parroted.

"The present court will continue on the bench, to try the case of the
Friends of Silas Cumshaw, deceased, versus Switchblade Joe Bonney,
Jack-High Abe Bonney, Turkey-Buzzard Tom Bonney, et als." Judge Nelson
rapped with his gavel. "Court is herewith adjourned until 0900
tomorrow."

CHAPTER IX

The trial got started the next morning with a minimum amount of
objections from Sidney. The charges and specifications were duly read,
the three defendants pleaded not guilty, and then Goodham advanced with
a paper in his hand to address the court. Sidney scampered up to take
his position beside him.

"Your Honor, the prosecution wishes, subject to agreement of the
defense, to enter the following stipulations, to wit: First, that the
late Silas Cumshaw was a practicing politician within the meaning of the
law. Second, that he is now dead, and came to his death in the manner
attested to by the coroner of Sam Houston Continent. Third, that he came
to his death at the hands of the defendants here present."

In all my planning, I'd forgotten that. I couldn't let those
stipulations stand without protest, and at the same time, if I protested
the characterization of Cumshaw as a practicing politician, the trial
could easily end right there. So I prayed for a miracle, and Clement
Sidney promptly obliged me.

"Defense won't stipulate anything!" he barked. "My clients, here, are
victims of a monstrous conspiracy, a conspiracy to conceal the true
facts of the death of Silas Cumshaw. They ought never to have been
arrested or brought here, and if the prosecution wants to establish
anything, they can do it by testimony, in the regular and lawful way.
This practice of free-wheeling stipulation is only one of the many
devices by which the courts of this planet are being perverted to serve
the corrupt and unjust end