Cotterell’s lips curled with contempt, but he did not speak. “Look hyar, fellow jury-men,” said one of them who prided himself on the accuracy of his language on all occasions. “I’d axe leave ter make a few remarks. We were informed by the gentlemen what caught the prisoner that they were notified o’ the stealing by one o’ them Perfection City fellers. If the horse was lent how is it the owner didn’t know about the lending?” “Yes,” said one of the gentlemen referred to, “ole man Wright, he come and tol’ me ’bout the stealin’ o’ the hoss, an’ he ’lowed, on’y it was agin his principles, he’d like ter hev been out with the boys. It don’t ’pear ter my min’ as there was much len’ing ’bout it.” “This trial, gen’lemen, is all fair and square an’ ’cordin’ to law. We’ll settle this p’int ’fore we go further,” said the foreman. “You say the horse was lent to you?” “I do say so emphatically,” replied the prisoner. “Wal, we’ve got one o’ them ’Fection City fellers to say the hoss was stolen, he’ll swear to that, an’ I reckon by their idees he was part-owner of it anyhow. Now, that’s the witness agin yer. Who have you got to swear yer was lent the horse fair and square?” “I have had no chance of getting any witness, as you very well know,” replied Cotterell. “Wal, I reckon yo’ hev bin kep’ purty toler’ble close. Anyhow, it shan’t be said as we hain’t gi’en yer a good chance. Now, which might be yer witness to the len’ing? There hain’t such a damn sight o’ folks up to ’Fection City as ’ud make yer forget so ready as all that.” Cotterell hesitated. “Hain’t yo’ got no tongue? Who lent yer the hoss, I say?” repeated the foreman. “Mrs. Weston,” said Cotterell at last. “That’s a lie, anyhow,” burst out one of the bystanders. “It is not a lie, it is the truth,” said Cotterell hotly. “Wal, now, see hyar. I was over to ole man Weston’s, an’ I seed Mis’ Weston myself, an’ she tole me she hadn’t sot eyes on yer. Now then?” It was Owen who spoke, he had been out, as we know, on the first hunting-party and was now present as a spectator. He would have been on the jury, only it was considered more delicate for him to stand aside, considering that he had been out to catch Cotterell, and prairie men are punctilious in the observance of all those forms of etiquette with which they are familiar. Although not on the jury, Owen was quite free to intervene in the trial, he was one of the foremost settlers on the prairie. Cotterell looked hard at him as he spoke. “Did she tell you that herself?” he asked, drawing his eyebrows tightly together. “Yes, she tole me herself,” replied Owen.