o the
evidence."

"Verdic'? Why, fellers," retorted Jim's advocate, "whar's the use of a
fool verdic'? 'Sposin' we fellers was goin' to be verdicked? This is
a time for us fellers to stan' together, shua'. I'll tell you what
le's do; le's all slip off inter th' brush, cotch our hosses an' pull
our freight fer home. This yer court ain't goin' to git airy jury but
us in Llano 'till a new one's growed, an' if we skip I reckon they'll
have to turn Jim loose."

This alternative met all objections. In a moment the "jury room" was
empty.

Shortly thereafter the two bailiffs, awakened by a clatter of hoofs
over the rocky hills behind them, were doubly shocked to find the only
tenant of the "jury room" an empty jug.

One of the bailiffs sighted some of the escaping jurors and opened
fire; the other hastened to alarm the court. The latter, running
toward the house, met the judge and counsel who had been roused by the
firing, and yelled out: "Jedge, the hull jury's stampeded! Bill's
winged two o' them. Gi' me a fast hoss an' a lariat an' mebbe so I'll
cotch some more."

Two or three jurors who were too much fuddled with drink to saddle and
mount were quickly captured. The rest escaped. Of course, the court
was outraged and indignant, but it was powerless. So Jim was released,
thanks to Shang's diplomacy and eloquence. And, by the way, in the
dark days that came to ranchmen in 1885, Jim, risen to be a well-known
and powerful banker in ------ City, furnished the ready money necessary
to save Shang's imperilled fortune; and when at length he heard that
Shang was at death's door, Jim found the time to leave his large
affairs and come all the way up from ------ to Llano to bid his old
friend farewell.

For two or three years after the war the cow-hunters were busy
accumulating cattle. From Palo Pinto to San Diego great outfits were
working incessantly, scouring the wilds for unbranded cattle.

Directly an animal was sighted, one or two of these riders would spur
in pursuit, rope him by horns or legs, and throw him to the ground.
Then dismounting and springing nimbly upon the prostrate beast, they
quickly fastened the beast's feet with a "hogtie" hitch so that he
could not rise, a fire was built, the short saddle iron heated, and the
beast branded. The feet were then unbound and the cow-hunter made a
flying leap into his saddle, and spurred away to escape the infuriated
charge sure to be delivered by his maddene