Jessie.  It cant have been much of a horse if they caught him with two hours start.

Elder Daniels [coming back to the centre of the group] The strange thing is that he wasn’t on the horse when they took him.  He was walking; and of course he denies that he ever had the horse.  The Sheriff’s brother wanted to tie him up and lash him till he confessed what he’d done with it; but I couldn’t allow that:  it’s not the law.

Babsy.  Law!  What right has a horse-thief to any law?  Law is thrown away on a brute like that.

Elder Daniels.  Dont say that, Babsy.  No man should be made to confess by cruelty until religion has been tried and failed.  Please God I’ll get the whereabouts of the horse from him if youll be so good as to clear out from this. [Disturbance outside].  They are bringing him in.  Now ladies! please, please.

[They rise reluctantly.  Hannah, Jessie, and Lottie retreat to the Sheriff’s bench, shepherded by Daniels; but the other women crowd forward behind Babsy and Emma to see the prisoner.

Blanco Posnet it brought in by Strapper Kemp, the Sheriff’s brother, and a cross-eyed man called Squinty.  Others follow.  Blanco is evidently a blackguard.  It would be necessary to clean him to make a close guess at his age; but he is under forty, and an upturned, red moustache, and the arrangement of his hair in a crest on his brow, proclaim the dandy in spite of his intense disreputableness.  He carries his head high, and has a fairly resolute mouth, though the fire of incipient delirium tremens is in his eye.

His arms are bound with a rope with a long end, which Squinty holds.  They release him when he enters; and he stretches himself and lounges across the courthouse in front of the women.  Strapper and the men remain between him and the door.]

Babsy [spitting at him as he passes her] Horse-thief! horse-thief!

Others.  You will hang for it; do you hear?  And serve you right.  Serve you right.  That will teach you.  I wouldn’t wait to try you.  Lynch him straight off, the varmint.  Yes, yes.  Tell the boys.  Lynch him.

Blanco [mocking] “Angels ever bright and fair—­”

Babsy.  You call me an angel, and I’ll smack your dirty face for you.

Blanco.  “Take, oh take me to your care.”

Emma.  There wont be any angels where youre going to.

Others.  Aha!  Devils, more likely.  And too good company for a horse-thief.

All.  Horse-thief!  Horse-thief!  Horse-thief!

Blanco.  Do women make the law here, or men?  Drive these heifers out.

The women.  Oh! [They rush at him, vituperating, screaming passionately, tearing at him.  Lottie puts her fingers in her ears and runs out.  Hannah follows, shaking her head.  Blanco is thrown down].  Oh, did you hear what he called us?  You foul-mouthed brute!  You liar!  How dare you put such a name to a decent woman?  Let me get at him.  You coward!  Oh, he struck me:  did you see that?  Lynch him!  Pete, will you stand by and hear me called names by a skunk like that?  Burn him:  burn him!  Thats what I’d do with him.  Aye, burn him!