to mention the necessity for
law and order, pointing out the danger to the public interests of the
community which must lie in a general reputation for ruffianism and
lawlessness, showing how Eastern Capital must ever be timid in visiting
a town of such reputation, apart from investing any money therein;
then, changing to the personal phases of the case, he spoke of the
absolute disregard of law shown in the act charged, mentioned the
red-handed deed of this lawless and dangerous person who had thus slain
a pig, no less the pride of the community than the idol of the family
now bereft.

At this point the jury began to look much perturbed and solemn, and the
prisoner very red and uneasy. Prosecution closed by offering to prove
all charges by competent testimony. This latter was a dangerous
proposition to advance. We could not well ask the jurymen to testify,
and of the "veniry," more than half had now slipped out for a hurried
and excited visit to the Lone Star, there to advise any possible new
arrivals of what was going on at Blackman's adobe.

Counsel for the defence arose calmly to make his opening statement.
The man was a natural trial lawyer. It was simply destiny which had
driven him into this comedy, as destiny had driven him to Heart's
Desire. It was not comedy now, when Dan Anderson faced judge and jury
here in Blackman's adobe. There came a swift, sudden chill, a gripping
as of iron, a darkening, a shrinking of the heart of each man in that
little room. It was the coming of the Law! Ah! Dan Anderson, you
ruined our little paradise; and now its walls are down forever, even
the walls of our city of content.

Dan Anderson stood, young, tall and grave, one hand in the bosom of his
shirt, for hardly one present wore a coat. He had his audience with
him before he spoke. When he began he caught them tighter to his
cause, using not merely flowing rhetoric of speech, but the close-knit,
advancing, upbuilding argument of a man able to "think on his
feet,"--that higher sort of oratory which is most convincing with an
American audience or an American jury.

The statement of the prosecution, said Dan Anderson, was on the whole a
fair one, and no discredit to the learned brother making it. None
would more readily than himself yield acquiescence to the statement
that law and order must prevail. Without law there could be nothing
but anarchy. Under anarchy progress was at an end. The individual
must give up