"Collision, perhaps you mean," he said. His quiet, even voice was cutting in its contempt. "What do you think this is--a town full of thugs? I want you to know that those four men stand a damn sight higher in this community than you do. Sit down--you're making an indecent exposure of your soul!" As he went back to his desk, an oldish man came to the door and caught Hobby Lull's eye. He beckoned. Hobby rose and went to the door. They held a whispered council in the anteroom. Judge Hinkle busied himself with the papers on his desk for a moment. When he looked up his face had regained its wonted color. "Here comes Gwinne with the horse," announced Hobby Lull from the anteroom. "Mr. Dines, how does your client propose to question that horse, if I may ask?" inquired the judge. "I propose to prove by my horse," said Johnny, "that though I may have murdered this man I certainly did not shoot him while I was riding this horse. And I depend on the evidence of the prosecution's witnesses"--he smiled at the prosecution's witnesses--"to establish that no one rode in Redgate that day except me--and them! If the court will appoint some man known to be a rider and a marksman, and will instruct him to ride my horse by the courthouse windows, we can get this testimony over at once. It has been shown here that I carried a .45. Set up a box out there where we can see from the windows; give your man a gun and tell him to ride as close as he likes and put three shots in that box. If he hits that box more than once--" "Gun-shy?" said Judge Hinkle. "Watch him!" said Johnny rapturously. The judge's eye rested on Mr. Wade with frank distaste. "We will now have another gross instance of collusion," he announced. "I will call on Frank Bojarquez to assist the court." Francisco Bojarquez upreared his straight length at the back of the hall. "Excuse, please, if I seem to tell the judge what he is to do. But what Mistair Wade says, it is true a little--or it might seem true to estrangers. For us in Hillsboro, frien's togethair, eet does not mattair; we know. But because the worl' ees full of estrangers--theenk, Judge Hinkle, eef it is not bes' that it ees not a great frien' of the preesoner who is to examine that horse--what? That no estranger may have some doubts? There are so many estrangers." "Humph! There is something in that." The justice scratched his ear. "Very well. George Scarboro, stand up. Are you acquainted with this prisoner?" "No, sir." "You are one of the Arizona Rangers?" "I am." "Slip your saddle on that blue horse. You know what you have to do?" "Yes, sir." Scarboro departed, and half the court room went with him. Five minutes later he rode the Twilight horse, prancing daintily, under the courthouse windows. The windows were lined with faces. Johnny, the judge and Wade had a window to themselves, within the sacred railing. But Spinal Maginnis did not look from any window. Spinal was looking elsewhere--at Caney, Weir and Hales.