"I admit all that has been said, your honor. There was not enough for two, and so I killed Burke, and a good riddance it is to the community. I am only sorry, however, that it was not the pious Throckmorton instead," he added, turning and looking at Uncle Job. "Burke deserved death, but not more than I, you will say, and truly enough. I intended to kill him when I went to the cabin, and in this way, to illustrate, your honor, and quite simply," Rathe went on, taking up the knife with both hands, his arms being only loosely tied. "As he came toward me, the pistol-shot not proving effective, I drew my knife, and raising it the full length of my arm, buried it to the hilt in his bosom, like this"; and as he concluded, and looking the judge calmly in the face, he plunged the weapon to the handle in his own heart.
At first the lookers-on thought he was acting, but when, after a moment, he wavered and fell full length on the floor, there was a cry of horror from all present, many women fainting, and the men staring, not knowing what to make of it.
* * * * *
When some time had elapsed and the dead body of Rathe had been removed and order had been restored, Moth arose, and turning to the judge, said:
"I call upon the court before it adjourns to order the arrest of the man Fox for highway robbery."
At this, Fox, who was standing within the inclosure, turned to the judge and said:
"May it please your honor, I admit all this man may say, not denying anything, and beg that I may be tried here and now, and by the present jury."
To this Judge Douglas demurred, but after reflecting upon it for a while and conferring with the jury, he turned to Moth and said:
"You hear his admission, Mr. Moth? Are you ready to go on with the case, as he suggests? If so, I can see no legal objection."
"It is what I desire above all things, your honor," Moth, answered, in a sober way. "The man should be in the penitentiary, and the sooner he is sent there the better for the community."