316 MY SPORTING HOLIDAYS 



legal learning displayed. On the other hand, a sub- 

 stantial majority were plainly dissatisfied with the 

 vague and uncertain outcome of the proceedings. A 

 certain amount of legal controversy was all very well, 

 but, in their view, a hanging was about due. This 

 feeling grew in intensity on the following day, when 

 the trial was continued and again adjourned without 

 apparent result. The legal argument on techni- 

 calities had been continued with even a greater flow 

 of eloquence than before on the part of opposing 

 advocates. Now, it was quite in accordance with 

 frontier etiquette that a prisoner, once in the 

 clutches of the law, should be well treated, allowed 

 a reasonable amount of tobacco and drinks, and 

 generally given a good show. But this outward 

 display of leniency was not to be taken as an indica- 

 tion that the stern resolve of Rawlins to avenge the 

 murder of its Sheriff was in any way abated. 



Will Hugus, the storekeeper, addressed a select 

 gathering of citizens in Pat Rooney's saloon that 

 night, and expressed the sense of the meeting : 



' This yer palaver in the court-house has been goin' 

 on long enough, boys. I didn't calculate to see 

 George get too fat at our expense.' 



At this there was a general murmur of approval. 



It so happened that Frank Earnest and I had 

 business at our up-river ranch, twenty miles away, 

 and next day we both left town. In a week we 

 returned to Rawlins, and found that the assize court 

 had adjourned sine die in order to consider their 

 judgment on the technical plea set up by the 

 prisoner's advocate. 



At this stage the patience of Rawlins became 

 entirely exhausted. Judge Lynch took a hand in the 



