Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-13

I'd RANKIN, young ranchman from over he
yond Emmaville, finding himself among strangers
turned IN at the court house door and was max
ing his way toward the big stove, when he OBJ.
served that the room was not empty as he had
supposed 1t to be. In a remote corner sat
sorry-looklng group, woman and three children.
their shrinking figures thnly clad their ewes
reu with crying or exposure, glancing apprehen-
sively from side to side. The youngest of the
group was boy OF ten; he, like all the Others
had the look of hunted creature.
Rankin passed within "the bar and stood
with his back to the stove He looked about the
room, seeking some object to divert his thoughts
his attention again wandered to the qroup in
the corner. The more the dry scorchinp heat
OF the stove penetrated his own person the cold
er the woman and children looked At last he
burted out, in the manner peculiar to him when
suHerlng from embarrassment Say, ma am WHY
don't you come and get warm?'
The woman started and looked over her shoul-
der before she answered
Il guess we'd rather stay where we are" she
said 'Ne
Incapable of withstanding such a rebuff. Ran
KIN slouched across the room and stood in the
open doorway. A three-seated ranch.waeon.
drawn by pair of ill-matched but brisk little
broncos, was just coming along the street The
heavy wheels creaked and groaned over the snow
ana then stopped before the courthouse The
whole court" had arrived, plentifully wrapped
up In muftiers of every color of the rainbow
What's on this afternoon, judge?" asked Mer.
riam, the storekeeper, with the webred fami-
harity of a prominent citizen
The Rumpety case, believe"
"Not much good, ! suppose"
I'm afraid not said the Judge rlancino as
he passed at the shivering woman and children.
Il wonder If they have had any dinner" he
quered, with sudden socitude.
Eyes. My wife looked after that She took
'em over a mess of stuff. They looked scared of
IN hut az
now"
The court assembled; lawyers and stenograpber
took their places; the clerk stood in readiness;
the judge mounted the bench; and lo the his,
torc dignity OF a court of justice had assembled
upon that rude stage, and all was ready for what
ever comedy or tragedy might be to enact upon
it.
The Judge, referring to the list announced that
the next case would be "The people of the State
OF Colorado against Dennis Rumpety" Then,
being called, Dennis Rumpety walked down the
courtroom and passed within the bar
The man looked fifty or thereabouts; a short.
thicRset figure, with large head covered with
thick iTon-gay hair, The smooth.shaven face
was a peculiar one, being broad in its outline
with the features, especially the eyes small and
close together The short bushy eyebrows met
above fine, cean-cut nose; the laws were heavy
and brutal; yet the menace of the face was not
in these, but in the thin straight lips which clos.
ed like the shears Of Fate. A cruel smile gather
ed about the lips as he answered the questions
Of the court
'Nlr Rumpety," the Judge asked, 'have you
provided yourself with legal advice?"
'No, your honor" the man replied, with a
strong north-country brogue "No, sorrl I've
got no use for the lawyers"
''You are prepared then, to argue your own
case?"
'I lave me case in the hands of me fshmily
Their testimony will clear me from the false ac.
eusations of me innimes If thin as"
That will do, Mr. Rumpety."
"If thin as are"
"AIr Rumpety, that will do"
Rumpety locked his lips again and took his