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Heart's Desire by Emerson Hough
page 41 of 330 (12%)
fairly choked with wisdom echoed from his throat. It was a great day
for Blackman, J. P.

"Do I know this man, this cow puncher?" said he. "Of course I know
him, damn him, and I know what he done, too. Such a high-handed act
never ought to be tolerated, sir! Destroyin' property--why,
a-destroyin' of life _and_ property, for he killed the pig--and this
new family of citizens dependin' in part on the pig fer their
sustenances this comin' season; to say nothin' of his nigh shootin' me
up as I was crossin' the street from the post-office! Try him! Why,
of _course_ we ought to try him. What show have we got if we go on
this lawless way? What injucement can we offer Eastern Capital to
settle in our midst if, instead of bein' quiet and law-abidin', we go
on a-rarin' and a-pitchin' and a-runnin' wide open, every man for
hisself? What are we here for, you, and you, and me, if it ain't to
set in trile over such britches of the peace?"

"You're in," said Dan Anderson, succinctly. "Get over to your 'dobe.
We'll hold this trial right away. I reckon all the boys'll know about
it by this time. I'll go over and get the prisoner. But, hold on! He
ain't arrested yet. Who'll serve the warrant? Ben Stillson (the
sheriff) is down on the Hondo, and his deputy, Poe, is out of town.
There ain't a soul here to serve a paper. Looks like the court was
some rusty, don't it?"

"Warrant!" said the Justice, "warrant! You don't need no warrant.
Wasn't he seen a-doin' the act?"

"Oh, but it wasn't a real first-class felony," demurred Dan, with some
shade of conscience left.
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