“I’ll be good God damned if I think a prayer of mine ’ud go more’n seven feet high,” said the reprobate. In a moment he was hoisted on to the horse, the rope drawn taut, and a resounding smack given to the horse’s quarters. The animal bounded forward, and the murderer was left swinging. “Run him up! run him up!” was the cry, and twenty willing hands hauled on the rope till the body was swung aloft to within two feet of the bough, and the rope was again made fast. There was silence for a little space; then the leader of the Vigilantes took his stand beneath the fatal branch, and spoke short and plain. “There’s men here,” said he, “as guilty in intention as that man,” pointing to the body, “was in act. Let this be a warning to them. Let this be a sign that in this town the people don’t mean to tolerate any such goings on. We know there were men who encouraged this miserable wretch to do this thing that brought him to this--yes, and lent him the pistol to do it with. They may thank their stars they are not hanging beside him now. They are just as guilty as he was, and if they know what’s healthy for them, they’ll get out of this before daylight to-morrow. And I say the same to any more there are of the same kidney here, and who thought they were going to run this town. They’d better drop it. They’d better get. The people of this town are going to run this town themselves, and this here is the proof of it. Enough said.” And, turning away, he stepped back into the crowd and joined his friends. “It’s all over, boys,” said the big man on the horse, with the Winchester in his hand. “We can go back to our business now. Let no man interfere with that body,” he added. “It’ll be seen to to-night. No one’s to touch it without orders.” And the crowd broke up into knots and slowly dispersed. “Young man,” said one of the guards to me, leading up my pony, “here’s your bronco. You shall have your rope back in the morning; it’s occupied at present. No one will trouble you over this matter; it was taken from you by force, you understand.” And then I understood that the demonstration of holding up a pistol when I was told to dismount had been really for my benefit, to relieve me of responsibility, if by any chance the proper officers of the ordinary law of the territory should take any notice of this day’s work. I took my horse, mounted him, and later on, when the crowd had dispersed, rode down to the ford. The pony stopped in mid-channel to drink, and I shall not forget the scene. The sun was just setting behind the range of the Rocky Mountains, and in the foreground stood the withered cottonwood with its ghastly fruit. The work was done. * * * * *