into, near the Patriarch--met him down
there and killed him."

"Thought there was something out o' the common thereaway," said one of
the jury; "for as we rode by the tree a whole nation of kites and turkey
buzzards flew out. Didn't they, Mr Heart?"

Mr Heart nodded.

"Met him by the river, and cried, halves of his money," continued Bob
mechanically. "He said he'd give me something to buy a quid, and more
than enough for that, but not halves 'I've wife and child,' said he"----

"And you?" asked the juror with the deep voice, which this time,
however, had a hollow sound in it.

"Shot him down," said Bob, with a wild hoarse laugh.

For some time no word was spoken.

"And who was the man?" said a juror at last.

"Didn't ask him; and it warn't written on his face. He was from the
States; but whether a hosier, or a buckeye, or a mudhead, is more than I
can say."

"The thing must be investigated, Alcalde," said another of the jury
after a second pause.

"It must so," answered the Alcalde.

"What's the good of so much investigation?" grumbled Bob.

"What good?" repeated the Alcalde. "Because we owe it to ourselves, to
the dead man, and to you, not to sentence you without having held an
inquest on the body. There's another thing which I must call your
attention to," continued he, turning to the jury; "the man is half out
of his mind--not _compos mentis_, as they say. He's got the fever, and
had it when he did the deed; he was urged on by Johnny, and maddened by
his losses at play. In spite of his wild excitement, however, he saved
that gentleman's life yonder, Mr Edward Nathanael Rivers."

"Did he so?" said one of the jury. "That did he," replied I, "not only
by saving me from drowning when my horse dragged me, half dead and
helpless, into the river, but also by the care and attention he forced
Johnny and his mulatto to bestow upon me. Without him I should not be
alive at this moment."

Bob gave me a look which went to my heart. The tears were standing in
his eyes. The jury heard me in deep silence.

"It seems that Johnny led you on and excited you to this?" said one of
the jurors.

"I didn't say that. I only said that he pointed to the man's money bag,
and said---- But what is it to you what Johnny said? I'm the man who did
it. I speak for myself, and I'll be hanged for myself."

"All very good, Bob," interposed the Alcalde; "but we can't hang you
without being sure you deserve it. What do you say to it,