here, and in case of a battle they would fight.

On our side the line was a dead, grim silence. We stood, our weapons
ready, rigidly at attention. Occasionally one or the other of us
muttered a warning against those who showed symptoms of desiring to
interfere.

In the meantime, three of our number had been proceeding methodically
with the construction of a gallows. This was made by thrusting five
small pine butts, about forty feet long, over a cross beam in the gable
of the cabin and against the roof inside. Large drygoods boxes were
placed beneath for the trap.

About this time Danny Randall, who had been superintending the
construction, touched me on the shoulder.

"Fall back," he said quietly. "Now," he instructed several of us, after
we had obeyed this command, "I want you to bring out the prisoners and
hold them in plain view. In case of rescue or attempted escape, shoot
them instantly. Don't hesitate."

"I should think they would be safer inside the cabin," I suggested.

"Sure," agreed Danny, "but I want them here for the moral effect."

We entered the cabin. The five prisoners were standing or sitting.
Scar-face Charley was alternately blaspheming violently, upbraiding his
companions, cursing his own luck, and uttering frightful threats against
everybody who had anything to do with this. Crawford was watching him
contemptuously and every once in a while advising him to "shut up!"
Jules was alternately cursing and crying. Morton sat at one side quite
calm and very alert. Catlin stared at the floor.

The moment we entered Catlin ran over to us and began to plead for his
life. He, better than the rest, with the possible exception of Morton,
seemed to realize the seriousness of his plight. From pleadings, which
we received in silence, he changed to arguments concerning his
innocence.

"It is useless," replied one of our men. "That affair is settled and
cannot be changed. You are to be hanged. You cannot feel worse about it
than I do; but I could not help it if I would."

Catlin stood for a moment as though overwhelmed; then he fell on his
knees before us and began to plead rapidly.

"Not that!" he cried. "Anything but that! Do anything else you want to
with me! Cut off my ears and cut out my tongue! Disable me in any way!
You can certainly destroy my power for harm without taking my life!
Gentlemen! I want to live for my wife--my poor absent wife! I want time
to settle my affairs! O God! I am too wicked