"Lord!" he ejaculated under his breath, snatching it up as a thief
would snatch at his spoils. He looked fearfully at the closed flaps,
outside which the trampling of many feet sounded closer and closer;
and with a warning shake of his head at the other, slid the dagger
into his sleeve again, carefully fastening the point in the stout hem
of the buckskin.
"You never can tell," he muttered, smiling queerly as he made sure the
weapon was not noticeable.
He was rolling another cigarette when the Captain parted the tent
flaps and came stooping in, followed by twelve men of the Committee
who were to be the jury, and as many spectators as could crowd after
them.
"Gentlemen, be seated," the Captain invited formally, and motioned the
jury to the crude bunks that lined one side of the large tent. Jack
and the boy he moved farther from the entrance, and took up his own
position where his sharp eyes commanded every inch of the interior and
where the gun which he drew from its holster and rested upon his knee
could speak its deadly rebuke to any man there if, in the upholding of
justice, the Captain deemed it necessary.
The jury shuffled to their places, perched in a row upon the edge of
the bunks and waited silently, their eyes fixed expectantly upon their
Captain. The crowd edged into the corners and along the sides, their
hat crowns scraping the canvas roof as they were forced closer to the
low wall.
Pages:
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42