“I’ll do that, sure,” replied Hanson. “You see, this woman and I were jest as close friends as there’s any need of. She had eight hundred dollars in dust and greenbacks, and three horses. We had agreed some time ago to go to Boise, and made our arrangements to leave this very morning. I went up to the house last evening and found a white man there. I didn’t take no partikler notice of the man, but I think I would know him again if I saw him. I left, and did not go back till this morning, when I found the woman lying dead upon the floor. ’Fore God, that is all I know about the murder of the woman.” After a few more questions relating to the size and general appearance of the man whom he left in company with the woman, Hanson was discharged. “I know,” said X., significantly, “that he is not guilty. Let him go. We’ll look further for the murderer.” Some ten days previous to this time, Hon. William H. Claggett had come over from Deer Lodge to address the citizens of Helena on the issues of the political campaign, then in progress. He brought with him a Henry rifle marked on the stock with his initials. Forgetting to take it from the coach on his arrival, he returned from the hotel after it, and it was gone. It had been stolen during his momentary absence. After a diligent but unsuccessful search, it was given up for lost. X., however, promised to keep a lookout for it. [Illustration: JOHN X. BEIDLER _Leading Vigilante and express messenger_ ] Election day came, when the negroes, for the first time in our history, were to exercise the right of suffrage. It was a great day for them; and the few that were in the city, soon began to make their appearance, dressed up for the occasion as for a holiday. A riot was anticipated, as threats had been made by the roughs in town that the negroes should not vote without a fight. X. Beidler stood near the polls to preserve the peace, and see that every man, black or white, was protected in voting. In the meantime a colored barber and his negro associate had a set-to at fisticuffs, to decide some knotty point in politics. The crowd arrested the combatants, and while conducting them to the magistrate, the barber escaped and ran home. Hayes, still in their custody, was roughly charged by one John Leach with having drawn a pistol upon a white man. “You lie if you say that,” was the indignant reply of Hayes. “Do you call me a liar?” retorted Leach. “Yes, you or any other man who says I drew a pistol or carry one.” As he said this, the crowd released Hayes, and he walked down the street to a barber shop, where he was followed by Leach, who seized him by the collar with one hand, and drawing and cocking a pistol with the other, repeated the question, “You drew a pistol upon a white man, did you?” Hayes again replied in the negative, and raising his arm said,