Year: 1876

shoulders walked down in military
order, surrounded the house and calle(
on Frank to come out.


Tlere was not little surprise OF
their part when Frank walked boldl,
out with his left arm in 9 sling, anc
looked at his reighbors with aston
ishment in his face, that if it were
not genuine, showed that he was ar
actor of no ordinary type. AS fore
man of that jury it became Wile
Horse Smith duty Che did it with {
xonderful amount Of cheerfulnes:
however, to inform Frank he was a
prisoner, and why.


The twelve men saw Frank Cotton
face turn ashy pale, and he staggered
to the house for support Us he gasped


"Henzy murdered -


"He's number nineteen up thar on
the hill.' replied Smith, nodding in
that direction. "We'll give ye fair
trial, Frank, but you mout as well
know that everything's asin' ye, an
everybody on Rec Fox Hill has made
up their mind that you killed Henry,
said ore of the men who was a great
stickler for law and order.


Frank Cotton denied it then, bat it
was too latc. He was made a prs
oner and was marched down to the
Coyote saloon where a court was al
once established, and Wild Horse
Smith, having shown unexpected legal
acumen as foreman Of the coroner :
jury, was selected as judge.


Everybody was there but Sarah
Bowman. She was in bed worn down
with her fever and barrel y over her
dellrlum.


The trial went on With 4 rapid!ty
that would startle an Eastern court Of
Justice. and it was shown that Frank
Cotton was the last person seen with
the murdered man that he was him
self wounded, as by the resistance Of
ferel by the wounded man tlat he
fled and remained away two weeks !;
and finally, that there was a motive
for the act, as they were both sutors
for the same girls hand, and for some
time an i'll feeling was supposed to
exist between them.


The Jury came to the conclusion
without leaving their chairs which
had been brought from Coyote Sa-
loon for their accommodation. They
found Frank Cotton guilty Of the
murder with which he was charged.


Then Wild Horse Smith who had
reason to know something Of the n
dicial form Of proceeding in such
cases, asked Frank if he could offer
any reason why sentence Of death
should not be passed.


Ia reply, Frank acknowledged that
when he left tie settlement Henry
vas in his company, and that they
had ever been friends. lie parted
with Uenzy on the run, and contln
ued himself toward Fort Harker,
where he expected money from his
friends in the east. That when he
was about ten miles from the settle
ment, he was himself shot by some
person or persons secreted near his
route. That his arm was broken, and
he would have came back at once,
bat fell in with an army train re-
turning from Pond Creek, and the
surgeon gave him all attention, and
took him on to Harker, where lie had
been for ten days under attendance


This was all said in a plain, fear
less wsy that accounted for every
thing, and should have carried con.
viction with it; but the Judge had
made up his mind, and with well af-
fectcd solemnity, passed the sentence
Of death, and then pointed to tree
back of the Coyote Saloon as very
suitable place for the execution.


There was no want of ropes, and
Frank Cotton was at once seized, and
the Jury, with wonderful zsal, were
about to pick him up and carry
him to the tree, when they
were startled by a piercing cry
and the next instant, Sarah Bowman,
pale as spectre, with her hair dis
heveled, and her brown eyes twice
their usual size, rushed in and threw
her arms about Frank Cotton.