The state herald., 1889-07-12

.-.I
..Did you ever ~ western con-
stablea He u long, broad, lean and
muscular. He has hnnd IKE . sasall
ham In size aud color, and seemiAg.
ly madcof sinewA His neck u loue,
and ~ brown ~ bark. His lace Il lean,
and his eyes have shaggy browa He
hand on bis hip lingering ssven-
shooter. He 10 loose jointed and
shows the strength Of . horse. Al l
looked over that crowd oflong haired,
serious faced cowboys noticed at
least score Of constables scattered
among them. Their eyes sparlkled ex-
pectantly, and they kept iurtively
looking about on every side. Near
the door saw the sheriff. They say
he can pull gun quicker than any
man In Nebrasla- His heavy jaws
were shut tight even for him. and his
right hand rested upon his belt
II drew q wavering breath Of OK
citement There was something Ia
the faces Of everyone Of these rough
cowboys that made me almost tremble.
There was a suggestion OF tension In
the faces Of the constables that alarm
ed me. could hear my heart beat,
and knew my breath caught, yet l
knew no cause OF alarm. l looked at
the judge and the lawyers and l saw
the same spell rested upon them.
"The county prosecutor began the
trial In low, firm tone. Every one
spoke low. The Judge bowed his
decisions. The counsel for the defense
interposed objections in set voice.
The face OF tho prisoner was pale and
his eyes staring. He glanced ut the
court with the suggestion Of contempt
In his face, but at the audience with
look that I thought was almost
terror. The pause between the
sentences Of those who spoke showed
that but for their speaking the room
was densely silent. don't believe any
one formulated his impressions, but
down in his heart every man there
must have known rs well 'as knew
that we were in the very presence Of =
coming tragedy.
When the young plaintiff told her
story her faintest whisper seemed to
ring out to the corners OF the room.
When she ceased. a suppressed sigh
struggled from the crowd.
"rhe clerk called the prisoner to
the bar. His face grow paler as he
arose. He cast ono appealing glance
at the still impassive audience. You've
seen the sudden gloom caused by a
light cloud sweeping over the sun. In
some such intangible way did an ex-
preston Of pitiless determination seem
to pass over that sea OF faces at the
prisoners glance. Yet no one moved.
The prisoner saw the sudden cloud and
grew white. He almost staggered to
the bar. He turned his back upon the
courtroom and faced the Judge.
at was then that | felt rs II q
weight were on me. glanced with
tight closed lips around the room. !
don't know what expected. hut had
seemed blurred at the moment, but
gradually. as If by fascination. one
face took possession Of me. Itbelong.
ed to twenty year old boy with the
form Of n giant and the dress Of . cat
tlcman. He stood in the middle Of the
room. What was peculiar In him do
not know, for l never remembered his
expression-perhapsn never clearly saw
it. But the growing horror In me
seized upon that boys face, conferred
in 1t, fed upon it. His eyes stared
heavily at the prisoner. and / stared
with beating heart at him. --
al did not see him raise II. though
looking at him. But in II twinkling n
polished barrel CLEANED along the
line Of that gaze. Only his gaze was
not heavy now. One eye closed
slowly. The other burned danger
ously along the barrel sight. ! held
my breath and waited. 1t seemed Ave
minutes before the report came. II
was probably not three seconds. When
the smoke cleared away the prisoner
lay where he had stood. before the
bar OF justice.
II don't know exactly what hap
pened next remember wild scram-
BILE for the street, In which was
drawn rather than joined. heard
down there that the cowboys had
cleared the court, but that the consta-
bles had arrested tho man who fred
the shot They said he WIS tho girls
brother. OF course they tried the boy
for murder. There were about twenty
witnesses brought. Every single wit
ness swore on the stand TINT he had
seen the shot fired. but couldn't To
save his life tell who did IL He was
acquitted. The sheriff met me day
or two later.
"Have you riprned to Nebraska JUS
tice yetH he asked. New York Sun.