them, over and over, that
he had given his word and proposed to keep it.

"Of course," he said, "when I made that promise to Wellesly I didn't
suppose they would find Will's body. But they did, and I mean to keep
my promise. I gave my word for you-all too, and I don't want you to
make any fool breaks that will cause people to think I'm trying to
skip."

Finally they gave up their plans and Tom returned to his duties with
Marshal Black at Santa Fe and Nick went out to Mead's ranch to keep
things in order there.

Ellhorn returned to Las Plumas for his own trial, the result of which
was that he was found guilty of assault and battery upon the Chinese
and fined five hundred dollars. The moment sentence was pronounced
upon him he strode to the judge's desk and laid down his check for the
amount of his fine. Then he straightened up, thrust his hands in his
pockets, and exclaimed:

"Now, I want that pig tail!"

"You are fined five dollars for contempt of court," said the judge,
frowning at the tall Texan, who looked very much in earnest.

"All right, Judge! Here you are!" said Nick cheerfully, as he put a
gold piece down beside the check. "Now, I want that Chiny pig tail!
It's mine! I've paid big for it! It's cost me five hundred and five
dollars, and no end of trouble, and it belongs to me."

"You are fined ten dollars for contempt of court," the judge said
severely, biting his lips behind his whiskers.

"Here you are, Judge!" and Nick spun a ten-dollar gold piece on the
desk. "I want that scalp as a memento of this affair, and to remind me
not to mix my drinks again. I've paid for it, a whole heap more'n it's
worth, and I demand my property!" And Nick brought his fist down on
the judge's desk with a bang that made the gold coins rattle.

"Mr. Sheriff, remove this man!" ordered the Judge, and John Daniels
stepped forward to seize his arm. Ellhorn leaped to one side,
exclaiming, "I'll not go till I get my property!" He thrust his hand
into the accustomed place for his revolver, and with a look of
surprise and chagrin on his face stood meekly before the sheriff.

"A man can't get his rights unless he has a gun, even in a court," he
growled, as he submitted to be led out. At the door he looked back and
called to the judge:

"That scalp's mine, and I mean to have what I've paid for, if I have
to sue your blamed old court till the day o' judgment!" And he went at
once and filed a suit against the district attorney f