Cloud an' he's decided on as guilty accordin' to their law. They
app'ints a day for the Bob-cat to be shot; an' as he ain't present at
the trial none, leavin' his end of the game to be looked after by his
reelatives, they orders a kettle-tender or tribe crier to notify the
Bob-cat when an' where he's to come an' have said sentence execooted
upon him. When he's notified, the Bob-cat don't say nothin'; which is
satisfactory enough, as thar's nothin' to be said, an' every Osage
knows the Bob-cat'll be thar at the drop of the handkerchief if he's
alive.

"It so turns out; the Bob-cat's thar as cool as wild plums. He's
dressed in his best blankets an' leggin's; an' his feathers an' gay
colours makes him a overwhelmin' match for peacocks. Thar's a white
spot painted over his heart.

"The chief of the Osages, who's present to see jestice done, motions to
the Bob-cat, an' that gent steps to a red blanket an' stands on its
edge with all the blanket spread in front of him on the grass. The
Bob-cat stands on the edge, as he saveys when he's plugged that he'll
fall for'ard on his face. When a gent gets the gaff for shore, he
falls for'ard. If a party is hit an' falls back'ards, you needn't get
excited none; he's only creased an' 'll get over it.

"Wherefore, as I states, the Bob-cat stands on the edge of the blanket
so it's spread out in front to catch him as he drops. Thar's not a
word spoke by either the Bob-cat or the onlookers, the latter openin'
out into a lane behind so the lead can go through. When the Bob-cat's
ready, his cousin, a buck whose name is Little Feather, walks to the
front of the blanket an' comes down careful with his Winchester on the
white mark over the Bob-cat's heart. Thar's a moment's silence as the