The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1908-09-26

OF Work, 10 De sure, DuJ what else |
could they do? The most valuable |
horses of the settlement had been
stolen. one after another, with con- |
summate daring and cunning, and, |
now that they had the guilty party in
their power, were they to let him go
because to hang him would be an I'M
pleasant duty?
Boys, all of you that have a horse
you wouldn't like to lose, just step
over here"
Nine of the ten came from under
the tree and gathered beside their
leader in the open. The tenth man
the man who remained in the shadow
of the tree-was bound hand and foot
and couldn't very we'll change his
position. Besides. he was the horse
thief
We'll, boys" demanded the leader,
are we quOrum?"
'Sure!'
Then he hangs?'
The nine men nodded their heads.
Good"
Hold on. gentlemen" cried the
Man under the Tree L wish again
to assert that I bought this horse
which you accuse me of stealing, and
paid $500 for her.
There was a loud guffaw
You don't believe me, gentlemen"
The Man under the Tree seemed
hurt.
Believe you." said the leader
why, stranger, that's old Wilkins
Bess and he'd have parted with his
grandmother first
But, gentlemen" eXpostulated the
Man under the Tree, wouldn't it be
wise to look up Wilkins first and ask
him.
The leader smiling, said: Stranger,
were you ever hanged?"
The Man under the Tree made
deprecatory movement. Only twice."
he said
''Well, you're cool UNI" exclaimed
the leader, when he again got his
breath.
The members of the quorum then
gathered in a body around the Man
under the Tree. One of them took
1ariat from his arm and another adj
justed it about the prisoners neck.
This last man was the leader himself,
and he could tie knot that isn't
down among sailor knots nor in pOpu-
lar religious works. 1t was a hang
mans knot and it had never been
known to fail when given a fair trial.
Then the loose end of the lariat
was thrown over a strong limb of the
tree.
Gently, bOysi" cautioned the lead
er Gently. He comes of good fam
h. Ao,l
boss thief he had been a honor to the
community. Gently"
The body of the prisoner was drawn
up, the loose end of the lariat Sc
curely fixed, and the quorum stood off
and viewed it's work. The hanged
man swung about six feet off the
ground. his face twisting towards the
tree, so that the men beneath could
not well see its expression. How
ever. they did not wish to.
Too bad" murmured the leader,
that his education was neglected.
But it's too late now, boys, for moral
suasion!'
" The others silently nodded their
heads in confirmation of this quorum,
and mounting their horses rode has
tily away with the bay of Wilkins
in the lead.
Arriving at the settlement, about
half mile distant, the stern body
gathered under the roof of the Red
Dog and began a game of faro.
Won't old Wilkins be glad when he
sets eyes on that bay of his again?
The meetin' II be just like father
fndin' long lost daughter"
But the whisky being strong and the
playing high, the men soon forgot
about Wilkins, the Man under the
Tree and the bay horse, and not until
Wilkins himself came walking into
the Red Dog did the incidents of
the earlier forenoon again recur to
| them.
Hello. Wilkins." cried the speak
er of the.late quorum. "Hows Bess ?"
Bless? Oh, she's outside, buyin'
! canned goods
"Buyin canned goods. is she?" ques-
toned the cowman "Whin did We
learn her the thrick?"
wilkins looked about and seeing a
! grin on every face realized the con-
fusion of terms. "Oh, you mean the
bay; not my wife?''
Sure"
Well" rejoined wilkins. hitching
uneasily. Il mught as well let the cat
out O. the bag before it's got kittens.
! sold Bess this mornin' to-"
The sentence was never finished,
or its end fairly drowned in chorus
of HE'LL"
Cant man sell his own horse?"
demanded Wilkins.
A glass of raw spirits whizzed over
his head and crashed against the op-
posite wall.
why, you lop-eared coyote, amt
We got no more iudgmint than TO sell
q horse widout first tellin' livery man
wild a rope fur twinty miles aroun'.
Ain't-ugh!" broke of the speaker,
reaching for another glass to throw
at wilkins You clam wild the lock
Jaw. you fish widout the light av in
telligence!"
What's the matter?" demanded
wilkins, keeping a sharp eye on the
glasses.
why, you Of pirate. we've hanged
the man We sol Bess to. fur boss