_Scud._ I appeal against your usurped authority. This lynch law is a wild and lawless proceeding. Here's a pictur' for a civilized community to afford; yonder, a poor, ignorant savage, and round him a circle of hearts, white with revenge and hate, thirsting for his blood; you call yourselves judges--you ain't--you're a jury of executioners. It is such scenes as these that bring disgrace upon our Western life. _M'Closky._ Evidence! Evidence! Give us evidence. We've had talk enough; now for proof. _Omnes._ Yes, yes! Proof, proof. _Scud._ Where am I to get it? The proof is here, in my heart. _Pete._ [_Who has been looking about the camera._] Top, sar! Top a bit! O, laws-a-mussey, see dis; here's a pictur' I found stickin' in that yar telescope machine, sar! look sar! _Scud._ A photographic plate. [_Pete holds lantern up._] What's this, eh? two forms! The child--'tis he! dead--and above him--Ah! ah! Jacob M'Closky, 'twas you murdered that boy! _M'Closky._ Me? _Scud._ You! You slew him with that tomahawk; and as you stood over his body with the letter in your hand, you thought that no witness saw the deed, that no eye was on you--but there was, Jacob M'Closky, there was. The eye of the Eternal was on you--the blessed sun in heaven, that, looking down, struck upon this plate the image of the deed. Here you are, in the very attitude of your crime! _M'Closky._ 'Tis false! _Scud._ 'Tis true! the apparatus can't lie. Look there, jurymen. [_Shows plate to jury._] Look there. O, you wanted evidence--you called for proof--Heaven has answered and convicted you. _M'Closky._ What court of law would receive such evidence? [_Going._] _Ratts._ Stop; this would. You called it yourself; you wanted to make us murder that Injiun; and since we've got our hands in for justice, we'll try it on you. What say ye? shall we have one law for the red-skin and another for the white? _Omnes._ Try him! Try him! _Ratts._ Who'll be accuser? _Scud._ I will! Fellow-citizens, you are convened and assembled here under a higher power than the law. What's the law? When the ship's abroad on the ocean, when the army is before the enemy where in thunder's the law? It is in the hearts of brave men, who can tell right from wrong, and from whom justice can't be bought. So it is here, in the wilds of the West, where our hatred of crime is measured by the speed of our executions--where necessity is law! I say, then, air you honest men? air you true? Put your hands on your naked breasts, and let every man as don't feel a real American heart there, bustin' up with freedom, truth, and right, let that man step out--that's the oath I put to ye--and then say, Darn ye, go it! _Omnes._ Go on. Go on. _Scud._ No! I won't go on; that man's down. I won't strike him, even with words. Jacob, your accuser is that picter of the crime--let that speak--defend yourself. _M'Closky._ [_Draws knife._] I will, quicker than lightning.