y good idea which is the best
lawyer of this bar, but I wouldn't tell you for the world that I'm the
one. Take your pick. Here's the whole legal works of the town, us
two. Try the Learned Counsel on my right."

"Law!" said Curly. "Why--law--lawyers! Then who--say, now, I'll
_pay_ for the pig. I didn't mean nothing, no way."

Then Dan Anderson rose to certain heights. "You can't settle it that
way," said he. "That's too easy. Oh, you can pay for the _pig_ easy
enough; but how about the majesty of the law? Where is the peace and
dignity of the commonwealth to come in? This is criminal. Nope, you
choose. You need a lawyer."

"You--you-all got me _locoed_," said Curly, nervously. "Law! Why, I
don't want no law. There ain't never been no co'te set here. Down to
the county-seat, over to Lincoln, that's all right; but here--why, they
don't _want_ no law here. Besides, I can't choose between you two
fellers. I like you both. You're both white men. Ef you could rope
and shoot better, I could git either one of you a job cowpunchin' any
day, and that's a heap better'n practisin' law. I couldn't make no
choice between you fellers. Say, I'll have you _both_." This with a
sudden illumination of countenance.

"That would be unconstitutional," said Dan Anderson, solemnly, "and
against public policy as well. That would be cornering the whole legal
supply of the community, Curly, and it wouldn't leave anybody for the
prosecution."

"Sho'!" said Curly. Then suddenly he added: "There's the old man.
Don't you never doubt he'd prosecute joyful. And there never was a man
from Kansas didn't know some law. Why, onct, down on the Brazos--"

"He can't act as attorney-at-law," said Anderson. "He's never been
admitted to the bar. Say, you flip a dollar."

The thought of chance-taking appealed to Curly. He flipped the dollar.

"Heads, me," said Dan Anderson; and so it fell. That young man smiled
blithely. "We'll skin 'em, Curly," said he. "You'll be as free as air
in less'n a week."

"Now," said Dan Anderson to me, "it's all right thus far. Next we have
got to get a Justice of the Peace, and then we've got to get the
prisoner arrested."

"'Rested!" said Curly. "Who? Me?"

"Of course," drawled his newly constituted attorney. "Didn't you kill
the pig? You just hang around for a little, for when we need you, we
don't want to have to hunt all over the country."

"All right," said Curly, dubiously.