The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-10-21

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fer To- 1t. Right here onder this here
warnut tree we're a-goin' to hold cote
and have yore trial, by jedge and jury,
and you'll shore git what's a-comin'
-n
Bill Dale cut in with some bitter
ness: "And you'll be the Judge, and
your plans have already been laid, and
I'm to be hanged by the neck until
dead; ehf Well, youll pay dearly for
it, promise you. We always have
to pay for what we get, you know.
The Morelands and the Littlefords will
be quick to settle the account. You
know that"
"No," old Bali disagreed hotly, ST
don't know thatp 5ss4
He turned to the others.
"Set down, boys. It's the same price
as standin'. The jury will please set
over thar" pointing to his right. "The
pris'ner and his guards will please set
right over thar" pointing to his left.
1.-THE hon'rable jedge, which same Is
me, win please set right thar" indi-
walnut. "The rest" he finished, "will
set anywhar they d--n pleases. Set
down, men,"
His orders were obeyed. Dale found
himself sitting on the ground between
two pairs Of mountaineers and facing
a line of twelve mountaineers-the so
called jury To his left was the self
appointed Judge, and to his right
lounged score or more of men whose
attention was then being turned to-
ward jug of fiery new whisky that
had never been near to a revenue
stamp or anything else that was hon.
est. The jug travelled rapidly from
one hairy mouth to another.
Old Ball passed the jug to a mem
Der of the Jury" and announced:
"Well, dammit, co'te's open now"
''Kitty, kitty, kittyp tainted Walt
Turner. "Pore little kitty!''
The mockery began. 1t was ridicu-
lous, and yet it was grim. Adam
Balls father himself furnished most
of the evidence; also he acted as
prosecuting attorney. OF course there
was no counsel for the defense, and
1t wouldn't have helped If Dale had
had proyerbial Philadelphia lawyer
on the grounds; all the proof and elo.
Quence and pleading in the world never
would have changed, in the slightest de
gree, the sentence that had been cut ant
dried for Bill Dale. The mock trial
was being held solely because the
Balls and Torreys felt that by hold
ing 1t they were Insulting the majesty
Of the law and making their ven
geance sweeter. 1t became worse thar
travesty. -.
Night fell during the wordy ant
profane harangue of the Ball leader
and 1t was ordered that fire be bull
at once. At once fire was built, DIR,
brushwood being used, and In Its re,
and Pickering glare the faces of tn,
hillmen looked doubly dark and doubl,
wicked. Then the Judge begged
|, chew OF tobacco and deliberately ken
: the whole twist, and told the jury t
, go out and bring back verdict with
out losing time.
i The twelve mountaineers rose IN
! steadily and went to the creek, an
t there one of them uncovered anothe
! jug Of fiery new whisky that was allie
, to revenue stamp. They dram
/ heavily and returned to the walnu
I tree court without mentioning tn
5 trial.
1 The foreman was Torrey, and
particularly bad one. His swarth
Il face, with It's high Cherokee cheel
!, bones and Its thin,lipped mouth, wa
i ultra-cruel, ultra-vicious. He entere
the circle Of red and fiickerk,g areHgl
g slowly, smiling evilly, and tie 9TH
d steven crowded up close behind hiI