le." Jan stepped back from the proffered noose. "I haf
somedings to ask und to make der great proposition. Kentucky, you know
about der Shudge Lynch?"

"Yes, suh. It is an institution of free men and of gentlemen, and it is
an ole one and time-honored. Corruption may wear the robe of magistracy,
suh, but Judge Lynch can always be relied upon to give justice without
court fees. I repeat, suh, without court fees. Law may be bought and
sold, but in this enlightened land justice is free as the air we breathe,
strong as the licker we drink, prompt as--"

"Cut it short! Find out what the beggar wants," interrupted Lawson,
spoiling the peroration.

"Vell, Kentucky, tell me dis: von man kill von odder man, Shudge Lynch
hang dot man?"

"If the evidence is strong enough--yes, suh."

"An' the evidence in this here case is strong enough to hang a dozen men,
Jan," broke in Red Bill.

"Nefer you mind, Bill. I talk mit you next. Now von anodder ding I ask
Kentucky. If Shudge Lynch hang not der man, vot den?"

"If Judge Lynch does not hang the man, then the man goes free, and his
hands are washed clean of blood. And further, suh, our great and
glorious constitution has said, to wit: that no man may twice be placed
in jeopardy of his life for one and the same crime, or words to that
effect."

"Unt dey can't shoot him, or hit him mit a club over der head alongside,
or do nodings more mit him?"

"No, suh."

"Goot! You hear vot Kentucky speaks, all you noddleheads? Now I talk
mit Bill. You know der piziness, Bill, und you hang me up brown, eh? Vot
you say?"

"'Betcher life, an', Jan, if yeh don't give no more trouble ye'll be
almighty proud of the job. I'm a connesoor."

"You haf der great head, Bill, und know somedings or two. Und you know
two und one makes tree--ain't it?"

Bill nodded.

"Und when you haf two dings, you haf not tree dings--ain't it? Now you
follow mit me close und I show you. It takes tree dings to hang. First
ding, you haf to haf der man. Goot! I am der man. Second ding, you haf
to haf der rope. Lawson haf der rope. Goot! Und tird ding, you haf to
haf someding to tie der rope to. Sling your eyes over der landscape und
find der tird ding to tie der rope to? Eh? Vot you say?"

Mechanically they swept the ice and snow with their eyes. It was a
homogeneous scene, devoid of contrasts or bold contours, dreary,
desolate, and monotonous,--the ice-packed sea, the slow slope of t