"This is an outrage!" bawled the furious and red-faced prosecutor. "This is an outrage! An outrage! These proceedings are a mockery! This whole trial is a travesty on justice!" The gavel banged down. "This court is now adjourned," announced Judge Hinkle. He leaned back in his chair and sighed luxuriously. He took out a pair of steel-rimmed spectacles and polished them; he held them poised delicately in one hand and beamed benevolently on the crowded court room. "We have had a very trying forenoon," observed Mr. Hinkle blandly. "Perhaps some of us are ruffled a little. But I trust that nothing which has happened in this court room will cause any hard feeling of a lasting character. And I strongly advise that under no circumstances will any of you feel impelled to take any man and put his head under a pump, and pump on his head." The gavel rapped smartly. "This court will now come to order! Mr. Dines, as I remarked before recess, you will now proceed with the case." "I'll not detain you long, Mr. Hales," said Johnny. "I didn't bother to cross-examine the previous witnesses"--he smiled upon Caney and Weir--"because they are suffering from the results of an accident. In the mines, as I hear. Mining is a dangerous business. Very. Sometimes a man is just one-sixteenth of a second slow--and it gets him trouble. I understand, Mr. Hales, that you three gentlemen were together when you found the murdered man?" "Yes." "You had been prospecting together?" "Prospecting, and looking for saddle thieves." "Did you find the saddle thieves?" "No; I told you once." "No," said Johnny; "you told Mr. Wade. Find any mines?" "Yes." "Good prospect?" "I think so." "Um--yes." Johnny hesitated, and fell silent. Hales fidgeted. "And the murdered man," began Johnny slowly, and stopped. Hales heaved a sigh of relief. Johnny darted a swift glance at the judge. "And the murdered man had been shot three times?" "Three times. In the back." "The shots were close together?" "Yes. My hand would have covered all three." "Sure of that?" "Positive." "In your opinion, these shots had been fired at close range?" An interruption came. Four men trooped into the door, booted and spurred; three of the John Cross men--Tom Ross, Frank Bojarquez, Will Foster; with Hiram Yoast, of the Bar Cross: four fit to stand by Cæsar. A stir ran through the court room. They raised their hands to Johnny in grave salute; they filed to a bench together. Johnny repeated the question: "You say, Mr. Hales, that these three shots had been fired at close range?" "The dead man's shirt was burned. The gun must have been almost between his shoulder blades." "Was there any blood on Forbes' saddle?" "I didn't see Forbes' saddle," growled Hales; "or Forbes' horse." "Oh, yes. But in your opinion, Forbes was riding when he was killed?" "In my opinion, he was." "What makes you think so?"