Nothing but the presence of witnesses restrained the infuriated man from striking the young girl down, as she stood. But the merciless work went on.
Bars of heavy timber were so arranged that no horse living, when once strapped in there, could escape or scarcely move. I could see it all from where I stood in the small pasture near the barn. When all was in readiness, Juliet was brought around, and then I saw that her beautiful, flowing mane was already chopped off, so that just a short bush stood upright along her neck.
She reared and plunged with fright as she was led up to the trap-like arrangement.
Bobby screamed once, then stood white and speechless.
There was a brief parley among the men, then Chet turned back, and, catching the girl about the wrist, carried her by main force into the house, remaining there himself to prevent her return. The moment they were out of hearing (or sight, rather) poor Juliet was roughly hurried into the trap and strapped to stout rings in the floor. There were also straps about her body fastened to rings in the floor.
Near by, in an old shop, Tommy seemed to be attending to something.
Of course, the poor horse was entirely helpless, but one of the men stood holding her head.
Oh, it was all too horrible to relate, but since it is daily coming to be the fashion, I will try and go through it, hoping some heart may be touched when a plain statement how docking is done, lies before them.
Then the executioner mounted a block, and with a saw began his inhuman task. There was a moment of silence, then there burst from Juliet's mouth such a cry of agony as I never dreamed a horse could utter. Scream followed scream as the poor beast writhed helplessly, a look in her face beggaring description. So great was her agony that sweat ran in streams to the floor, and blood and foam spurted from her mouth.
As coolly as sawing off a stick of wood, the man worked on, cutting through flesh, muscles, tissues, veins and nerves until the handsome tail lay on the floor and there was only a gory stump left.