"Pity I didn't draw a better bead!" growled the prisoner. "The hoss only fetched two ounces."
"Prisoner admits stealing Mr. Barke's horse, and firing on Mr. Barke. Any further evidence?"
"Rather," drawled an angular gentleman. "I was goin' up the valley by the stage, an' all of a sudden the driver stopped where there wasn't no station. There was fellers had hold of the leaders, an' there was pistols p'inted at the driver an' folks in general. Then our money an' watches was took, an' the feller that took mine had a cross-cut scar on the back of his hand—right hand; maybe somebody'll look at Bill's."
The prisoner was carried into the moonlight, and the back of his right hand was examined by the major. The prisoner was again placed under the tree.
"The cut's there, as described," said the major. "Anything else?"
"Ther's this much," said another. "I busted up flat, you all know, on account of the dry season, last year, an' I hadn't nothin' left but my hoss. Bill Bowney knowed it as well's anybody else, yet he come and stole that hoss. It pawed like thunder, an' woke me up—fur 'twas night, an' light as 'tis now—an' I seed Bowney a-ridin' him off. 'Twas a sneakin', mean, cowardly trick."
The prisoner hung his head; he would plead guilty to theft and attempt to kill, and defy his captors to do their worst; but when meanness and cowardice were proved against him, he seemed ashamed of himself.
"Prisoner virtually admits the charge," said the major, looking critically at Bowney.
"Gentlemen," said Caney, late of Texas, "what's the use of wastin' time this way? Everybody knows that Bowney's been at the bottom of all the deviltry that's been done in the county this three year. Highway robbery's a hangin' offense in Texas an' every other well-regilated State; so's hoss-stealin', an' so's shootin' a man in the back, an' yit Bowney's done ev'ry one of 'em over an' over agin. Ev'rybody knows what we come here fur, else what's the reason ev'ry man's got a nice little coil o' rope on his saddle fur? The longer the bizness is put off, the harder it'll be to do. I move we string him up instanter."
"Second the motion!" exclaimed some one.