Emma [a sneak who sides with Babsy or Jessie, according to the fortune of war] Well, I must say it does sicken me to see Sheriff Kemp putting down his foot, as he calls it.  Why don’t he put it down on his wife?  She wants it worse than half the men he lynches.  He and his Vigilance Committee, indeed!

Babsy [incensed] Oh, well! if people are going to take the part of horse-thieves against the Sheriff—!

Jessie.  Who’s taking the part of horse-thieves against the Sheriff?

Babsy.  You are.  Waitle your own horse is stolen, and youll know better.  I had an uncle that died of thirst in the sage brush because a negro stole his horse.  But they caught him and burned him; and serve him right, too.

Emma.  I have known that a child was born crooked because its mother had to do a horse’s work that was stolen.

Babsy.  There!  You hear that?  I say stealing a horse is ten times worse than killing a man.  And if the Vigilance Committee ever gets hold of you, youd better have killed twenty men than as much as stole a saddle or bridle, much less a horse.

[Elder Daniels comes in.]

Elder Daniels.  Sorry to disturb you, ladies; but the Vigilance Committee has taken a prisoner; and they want the room to try him in.

Jessie.  But they cant try him til Sheriff Kemp comes back from the wharf.

Elder Daniels.  Yes; but we have to keep the prisoner here til he comes.

Babsy.  What do you want to put him here for?  Cant you tie him up in the Sheriff’s stable?

Elder Daniels.  He has a soul to be saved, almost like the rest of us.  I am bound to try to put some religion into him before he goes into his Maker’s presence after the trial.

Hannah.  What has he done, Mr Daniels?

Elder Daniels.  Stole a horse.

Babsy.  And are we to be turned out of the town hall for a horse-thief?  Aint a stable good enough for his religion?

Elder Daniels.  It may be good enough for his, Babsy; but, by your leave, it is not good enough for mine.  While I am Elder here, I shall umbly endeavour to keep up the dignity of Him I serve to the best of my small ability.  So I must ask you to be good enough to clear out.  Allow me. [He takes the sack of husks and put it out of the way against the panels of the jury box].

The women [murmuring] Thats always the way.  Just as we’d settled down to work.  What harm are we doing?  Well, it is tiresome.  Let them finish the job themselves.  Oh dear, oh dear!  We cant have a minute to ourselves.  Shoving us out like that!

Hannah.  Whose horse was it, Mr Daniels?

Elder Daniels [returning to move the other sack] I am sorry to say that it was the Sheriff’s horse—­the one he loaned to young Strapper.  Strapper loaned it to me; and the thief stole it, thinking it was mine.  If it had been mine, I’d have forgiven him cheerfully.  I’m sure I hoped he would get away; for he had two hours start of the Vigilance Committee.  But they caught him. [He disposes of the other sack also].