The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-24
THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY

who had been ginning up all day, had Just let slip that he had killed Dave out on the plains sos to come back and marry her.
 This was the right bower turn for which I'd been waiting. and without fur- ther delay went out to Pete's cabin and nabbed him while he was sleeping under the infiooence, and brought him down and chained him to the anvil in the black town.
 Pete swors vi'lent paths on the Bible and off that Dave was alive and kicking his heels aginst the pint of the peninsula on Cafiforny. On the day appinted for the trial all the boys from Hel-for- Sartin came over to see that the limber-jawed sand-panner of lawyer frem Reno didn' oamboozie the jury out of returning a proper verdict
 With his sombrero pulled well down over the panther blaze of his angry eyes, Long Pete sat on a sawbuck puzzling over hls wife's lead, while she from the elevation of the dry goods box which was panicky sort O way, and glimpsing
 wildish ev'rywhere except toward the pris'ner. But when that mealy rosed
 Socks threw up his hands and swore that Long Pete had once threatened him that
 he. Socks. 'ud be the second man he'd
 killed, then the light bust in on Pete. For whilst he elared from Min to Socks and back again. Then he gave a aWIuI BTOdn. IuTDeu Naller rOuIu lHe SliiS and sunk back on that sawbuck like d stuck steer. Even the toughs from Hell-for- -Sartin looked sorry for the man. and I knew
 that hanging 'ud be no punishment for him now.
 The court, in all fairness, asked him some questions that were appropriate Go
 the case, but Long Pete only closed his yag tight as a sprung bear trap:
 Then his lawyer chipped into the game end made blun with a telegram that purported to have come from Dave some
 where's in Californy, saying that he, Dave. was laid up with g broken leg in hospital there. but as soon as he could peg on it again he would be along and prove hisself still of the flesh. He only
 begged the court a stay of proceedings to allow for Daye's arriving.
 The judge and Angel Butchers was for granting 1t, although we reckoned It
 was only new fangled scheme of de- fense, but we was promptly vetoed by
 the boys from Hell-for-Sartin, who had come to sec hanging and were in
 hustle to have it over. as Washoe zephyr seemed threatening. And before court could properly adjourn. there was a lariat slung over limb and the moose was cuddling down round Long Pete s neck that was remarkably lengthy and
 knotty and tinted and temptation to
 any moose.
 "Then that lawyer chap went clean loony and rampaged round a shrieking that they was hanging innocent man, and that there was enough law even In
 Esmera1da County to hold every one of them accountable for taking Pete's life. But he might as well been wasting breath on pack O wolves on a winter hunt as on that drunken bunch; and we could only throw up our hands-their guns out numbered ours.
 There stood Pete Tn the same dead alive way, with only five minits for prayer and there was the EIell-for-S -Sartns in a sort O Comanche war dance about him. and keeping Min and Socks. decidedly against their liking, in the front row as chief mourners. when, whooping up the trail from the station below and larrupi1g
 of his cayuse came All-Night Bill, and close after him galluped another what seemed also in a hurry to arrive. and a yelping and cussing like native. Allowing 1t was the swinging they wanted to be in at I prevailed on the boys to delay proceedings a mite. and well when they had swept In amongst Us may go to bed thirsty for a week running if All Night Bills pardner wasn't that ornary. no count Dave for whom we was holding these same obsequies. There was shouts and wells that 'ud blast a rock, and I, rememb'ring the du- ties of my orfce, immejitely cut the cords off Long Pete's bony limbs.
 |" Don't take that hemp away just yet. Hank he says to me. powerful ca m like. There Rin't been no murder done yet, but there's going to be couple quick as shooting
 And before anyone was on to his ma noeuVer he had yanked Parson Sam's g Betty from his belt-there vas splitting of quick fire, two sharp smacks O sound, and his would-be widow and bis chief wit
 ness fell to-onct, wellering in their own blood.
 "Then, like a man who has done his duty, without hesitation or fear, Long ! Pete rlarched back under the cottonwood, aud, grabbing the dangling moose, he ad- | justed it under his chin.
 " Go on, boys he shouted, you neeln be short a swinging for want of evidence there are your corpus delictus.' And he
 insisted most onpolitely and perfane on being hung.
 But. dang it. stranger. there wasn't a man amongst us what 'ud pull the rope.