Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-09-11
you'll find out soon enough. Y.


and for moment Bob glanced tenderly
down at the white face on his shoulder.
Then he looked at the circle of unre-
lenting faces and said, quietly: Il am
innocent. I'll go back and prove it.
Of course Col. Ike Stebbins, as the 1
handspring of the social machinery of
Lone Star, presided at the trial. 1t was
always he who stood at the head of the
new-made grave, with reverent face and
appraised hand, while the clods fell duly
On the pine coffin; he it was who sat
with ease and dignity in the chairman's
place at public meetings; a bale with
out the colonel to lead was like the play
of Hamlet with that gentleman repre-
scented only by his regrets; and it was
| admitted without discussion that no
one but Col. Stebbins could properly
| impersonate the austerity of Judge
| Lynch.
| From the beginning there seemed no
doubt of Atkinson's guilt Edgerton
| testified to the quarrel of the morning,
and Bill Simpson loquaciously related
how he thought something up
when Bob sold his claim to him at half
its value, explaining that he was in
a hurry to leave. Then Jerry and ohm
son told of the meeting on the hill
side, and each of the posse swore, with
|
lance, to Atkinson's guilty actions
when they came upon him in the fog.
| Hezekiah Smith, of the hilltop, cIinched
| the evidence by testifying that he saw
! the prisoner standing before Scrog-
| gins door at noon
The jurors had ceased whiting
toothpicks and exchanging jokes; their
growing solemnity foreshadowed the
verdict. Col. Stebbins had with sigh
dismissed the last witness, when Eze-
KEEL strolled calmly in through the
open door. He nodded Familiarity to
two or three acquaintance and then
addressed the judge.
Colonel" he said, easily, guess I'd
better straighten this thing out a
little Where dye plant the wit
| nesses?
| Col. Ike, surprised, looked at him.
Let the witness be sworn" he said.
| well, what do you know about this?''
| II know all about it,"
who killed Scroggins?"
| Il did," said Ezekiel, calmly.
! For ten seconds there was silence,
and then a smile that broke into a
ripple of laughter ran around the room.
Ezekiel was maintaining his reputation.
The colonel raped angrily for order
with the muzzle of his revolver upon
| are trifiing-''
Il amt trif1in','' protested Ezekiel,
earnestly. Il never told lie in my
life. 1t was jest after dinner, an 1 was
| loOkin' for jeremiah. AS L went by
Scroggins' door, he came out, lool<in' ez
smilin' ez an undertaken with the
toothache. Seed my gal lately?' says
he, foolin' with his gun. L didn't want
to hurt his feelin's by tellin' him I'd
seen her ten minutes before with Bob.
so l SEE, polite-like: 'Sartinly, saw her
last week. Lookin' well, amt she?'
Std of bein' pleased, the old man was
riled and used language that would
have shocked wheat in a harvest field.
But 1 didn't care until he said he could
git more music out'n a weather-boarded
house with club'n L could out'n my
fiddle'n' bow. Then l was mad N talked
back. After assurin' me that I'd dis
figgered the lan'scape long enough,
only addin' to them plain words some
Unnecessary trimmin's, he shot at me
m 1 shot back, m this is what l killed
him with
Ezekiel drew out an old horse pistol
and handed it to the foreman of the
jury. A murmur of interest ran through
the crowd, and the jurors whispered
among themselves.
Just then a little red-faced man
pushed his way through the crowd at
the door. There he isl" he shouted
eNcitedly. There's the man that stole
my mule!'
We followed his finger with our eyes
He was pointing at Ezekiel, who re-
gar1ed him philosophically. We'll,
didn't say 1 didn't, did I?'' he asked
mildly.
The newcomer threw his hat in the
:, corner and danced with excitement
, 1T was this way, jedge. T'other day
tied my mule down at Ransome's Ferry
while 1 went into Pixies place to gil
some refreshments. When 1 come out
little later, the mule wuz gone, an
never seed him again ontil to-day
when / stumbled on him, Academia
like, at this feller's place up the trail
5 1 want him rested, quickl"
We were too much astonished to say
} anything, but finally Ezekiel broke the
; silence.
Don't be too hasty," he said. Il stole
the mule yes The chan left him tieC