"Yes, come on, you . . .!" was Handsome's ejaculation, contriving, at
last, to get his hands on the faro dealer.

But again the Sheriff would have none of it.

"Hold on, hold on--" he began and paused to philosophise: "After all,
gents, what's death? A kick and you're off;" and then went on: "I've
thought of a worse punishment. Give him his coat."

Surprised and perplexed at this order, Handsome, reluctantly, assisted
the culprit into his coat.

"Put him over there," the Sheriff now ordered.

Whereupon, obedient to the instructions of that personage, The Sidney
Duck was roughly put down into a chair; and while he was firmly held
into it, Rance strolled nonchalantly over to the faro table and picked
out a card from the deck there. Returning, he quickly plucked a
stick-pin from the prisoner's scarf, saying, while he suited his action
to his words:

"See, now I place the deuce of spades over his heart as a warning. He
can't leave the camp, and he never plays cyards again--see?" And while
the men, awed to silence, stood looking at one another, he instructed
Handsome to pass the word through the camp.

"Ow, now, don't si that! Don't si that!" bawled out the card sharp.

The sentence met with universal approval. Rance waved an authoritative
hand towards the door; and the incident, a few seconds later, passed