The Rangeland Avenger

ady heartily in the

tone as he spoke, and removing the noose from the latter's neck. "Black is a s

about these here things. I appoint you clerk. It's your duty to take out that little notebook

settled himself on the grass, with the notebook

u're sergea

mean that

remember where I heard it. Larsen, if anybody start

that to me, judge." He hoisted his gun belt around so th

see the prisoner don't get awa

ied Denver. "I can

you keep

u mean-doo

u keep the door. When I holler for a witness you go and get 'em

h an agreeable

is mine.

athered up the rope and

you? This here court being kind of shorthanded, you got to do twelve

Buck, much impressed,

nothing, but think all the time. You'll do your talking in one little bunch w

ly dragged the schoo

s your

ldered Gaspar. "Why, e

r. "This is going to be a strictly regular han

rving G

and sometimes Cold Fe

roat. "John Irving Gasp

e got agin' you? Know w

an absurd t

, Jig! What d'you say, guilty or not guil

ely not guilty. As

cla

him up and mak

d over Jig's mouth. The other t

risoner say he didn't do it. Now we'll get down to the truth

pause of c

inclair. "Anybody know an

. "Your honor, it's pr

for what's generally k

, more acrid. From that moment he made up his mind firmly that he wanted to se

orty Lander's sto

orget one thing," he said. "We got to swear in these witnesses before they can chatter. Is there anybody got a Bi

iet fell over the unique courtroom. Larsen, so pleasant o

like we're wasting a

rial. The illusion was so complete that even Riley Sinclair began to feel that the prisoner might be guilty-of an act which he himself had done! The opportunity was indeed too perfect to be

ned with him that Sandersen guessed his mission, and was purposely trying to brush away the wrath of the avenger. It would take time to discover the truth, but to secure that time it was n

lot of time

me a faraway murmur, the scream of a hawk. He bent his head back and looked up thr

in search of prey. Under the noble arch of h

out flinching. He merely smiled in an apologetic manner, and he made a little gesture with his right hand, as if to admit that he was helpless, and that he cast himself

le in the house," he stated, "but I found this here history of the United States, with the Declarat

ur hand on this and swear you're telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. They ain

y's own breast swelled with a sense of virtue. He had never before taken the lif

h, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, damn me if I

at

Tuesday,

but gimme nothin

e store. 'I want to look

nt to do with a revolver, Jig?' says

less gent like Jig could stand for such a pile of insult. But he just sort of

t'll kill a man,'

hen Shorty brung out a forty-five,

ys he, 'is this

up in his skinny h

n both hand

darned if he didn't

sier to handle in

y a gun to kill a man. Them was his wo

n ret

y ain't no question," s

ay over it,

away,

house a couple of weeks ago. Jig was there, not dancing or nothing, but sitting in a corner, with all the girls, mostly, hanging around him. They kept hanging around

on't you dance with one girl

dance,'

y if you won't d

hat ornery way of his, like his thoughts was

n't dance, get out of here and go home where you belong. You'

' says Jig, smiling

particular I want you

You

ntage of your s

up sizes,'

says Jig. 'I

But they was bad feelings between him and Quade. They was a devil in them eyes of Jig's w

We know that Gaspar had a grudge agin' Quade, and that he bought a

at Sinclair. There was some

that that quarrel between Gaspar and Quade was s

I could never kill a man?" The prisoner stretched

roat. "You shut up till you're asked to talk," he said, frowning savagely. "I think we got a witness here that'll prove that you did

with a ring in h

soner back onto the black rock. With blazing blue eyes, Gaspar gl

nte was established between them, an entente which distressed Sinclair, and which he strove to destroy. But, despite himself, he could not get rid of the knowledge