statement of this person is: "Four aces to beat."'

"'Which if deceased had knowed Socorro like I does,' says the jedge,
like he's commentin' to himse'f, 'he'd shorely realized that sech
remarks is simply sooicidal.'"

Again the Old Cattleman relapsed into silence and the smoke of the
principe.

"How did the trial come out?" I queried. "Was the accused found
guilty?"

"Which the trial itse'f," he replied, "don't come out. Thar's a
passel of the boys who's come into town to see that jestice is done,
an' bein' the round-up is goin' for'ard at the time, they nacherally
feels hurried an' pressed for leesure. Theyalls oughter be back on
the range with their cattle. So the fifth day, when things is
loiterin' along at the trial till it looks like the law has hobbles
on, an' the word goes round it's goin' to be a week yet before the
jury gets action on this miscreant who's bein' tried, the boys
becomes plumb aggravated an' wearied out that a-way; an', kickin' in
the door of the calaboose, they searches out the felon, swings him
to a cottonwood not otherwise engaged, an' the right prevails.
Nacherally the trial bogs down right thar."

After another season of silence and smoke, the Old Cattleman struck
in again.

"Speakn' of killin's, while I'm the last gent to go fosterin' idees
of bloodshed, I'm some discouraged jest now by what I've been