“As to the row, I was walking out that way, when I saw this kid coming up from the bay toward the town.  The three, Swift, Rawhide Jack, and Texas Bill, met him where the—­er—­trouble took place.  I was too far off to hear what was said; in fact, I didn’t pay any attention much, till I saw the kid struggling to get away.  I walked towards them then.  It was easy enough to see that it was a hold-up, pure and simple.  I was about fifty yards from them when I saw Swift, here, raise a knife to jab it into the boy’s throat.  Texas and Rawhide were both holding the kid’s arms and bending him backwards so he couldn’t do anything.  When I saw the knife, I began to shoot.”  His eyes sought those of Bill Wilson, standing in the crowd near the door.  “That’s the truth of the whole matter,” he said, speaking directly to Bill.  “I didn’t try to make trouble; but I couldn’t stand by and see a man murdered, no more than any decent man could.”  He paused; and still looking toward Bill, added:  “I didn’t even notice particularly who the men were, until I went up to the boy.  It all happened so sudden that I—­”

The Captain cleared his throat.  “You admit, then, that you killed Rawhide Jack and Texas Bill this morning?”

“I surely do,” retorted Jack.  “And if you want to know, I’m kinda proud of it; it was a long shot—­to clean the town of two such blackguards.  And right here I want to apologize to the town for making a bungle of killing Swift!”

“We have two witnesses who also swear that you killed Tex’ and Rawhide, though they give a very different version of the trouble with the boy.  Would you ask us to believe that Texas Bill lied with his last breath?”

“If he told the story you say he did, he certainly lied most sinfully with his last breath; but I’d hate to take your word for anything, so I don’t know whether he lied or not.”

“Mr. Swift, here, tells the same story that Texas Bill told.”  The Captain chose to ignore the insults.  “I think their testimony should carry more weight with the Committee than yours, or the boy’s.  You are trying to save your neck; and the boy probably feels that he owes you some gratitude for taking his part.  But the Committee’s business is to weed out the dangerous element which is altogether too large in this town; and the Committee feels that you are one of the most dangerous.  However, we will call another witness.  Shorty, you may come forward.”

Shorty came scowling up and sat down upon the box Swift had occupied.  He took the oath and afterwards declared that he had overheard Jack coaching the boy about what he should tell the Committee.  The Captain, having brought out that point, promptly excused him.

“Gentlemen of the jury, you have heard the evidence, and your duty is plain.  We are waiting for the verdict.”

The man with the cud looked a question at the Captain; turned and glanced down the row at the eleven, who nodded their heads in unanimous approval of his thoughts.  He once more shifted the wad of tobacco, as a preliminary to expectorating gravely into the sand floor, and pronounced his sentence with a promptness that savored of relish: