Elder Daniels.  Dont be headstrong, Blanco.  Whats the use? [Slyly] They might let up on you if you put Strapper in the way of getting his brother’s horse back.

Blanco.  Not they.  Hanging’s too big a treat for them to give up a fair chance.  Ive done it myself.  Ive yelled with the dirtiest of them when a man no worse than myself was swung up.  Ive emptied my revolver into him, and persuaded myself that he deserved it and that I was doing justice with strong stern men.  Well, my turn’s come now.  Let the men I yelled at and shot at look up out of Hell and see the boys yelling and shooting at me as I swing up.

Elder Daniels.  Well, even if you want to be hanged, is that any reason why Strapper shouldn’t have his horse?  I tell you I’m responsible to him for it. [Bending over the table and coaxing him].  Act like a brother, Blanco:  tell me what you done with it.

Blanco [shortly, getting up and leaving the table] Never you mind what I done with it.  I was done out of it.  Let that be enough for you.

Elder Daniels [following him] Then why don’t you put us on to the man that done you out of it?

Blanco.  Because he’d be too clever for you, just as he was too clever for me.

Feemy [reddening, and disengaging her arm from Strapper’s] I’m clean enough to hang you, anyway. [Going over to him threateningly].  Youre no true American man, to insult a woman like that.

Blanco.  A woman!  Oh Lord!  You saw me on a horse, did you?

Feemy.  Yes I did.

Blanco.  Got up early on purpose to do it, didn’t you?

Feemy.  No I didn’t:  I stayed up late on a spree.

Blanco.  I was on a horse, was I?

Feemy.  Yes you were; and if you deny it youre a liar.

Blanco [to Strapper] She saw a man on a horse when she was too drunk to tell which was the man and which was the horse—­

Feemy [breaking in] You lie.  I wasn’t drunk—­at least not as drunk as that.

Blanco [ignoring the interruption]—­and you found a man without a horse.  Is a man on a horse the same as a man on foot?  Yah!  Take your witness away.  Who’s going to believe her?  Shove her into the dustbin.  Youve got to find that horse before you get a rope round my neck. [He turns away from her contemptuously, and sits at the table with his back to the jury box].

Feemy [following him] I’ll hang you, you dirty horse-thief; or not a man in this camp will ever get a word or a look from me again.  Youre just trash:  thats what you are.  White trash.

Blanco.  And what are you, darling?  What are you?  Youre a worse danger to a town like this than ten horse-thieves.

Feemy.  Mr Kemp:  will you stand by and hear me insulted in that low way? [To Blanco, spitefully] I’ll see you swung up and I’ll see you cut down:  I’ll see you high and I’ll see you low, as dangerous as I am. [He laughs].  Oh you neednt try to brazen it out.  Youll look white enough before the boys are done with you.