t of the prisoners were confined. The doomed
men were quickly brought out, and informed of the fate in store for
them, at the same time Ned Harding made his appearance, leading Reid,
and the same announcement was made to the latter. Such a scene as
ensued, I hope never to see again. These apparently fearless
desperadoes, who had repeatedly imbrued their hands in human blood
without an instant's hesitation, were transformed on the moment, into a
pack of whining cowards; begging and entreating in the most abject
manner, that their lives might be spared.

Reid, the ringleader of all, was the most utter craven of the whole
number, and shrieks, curses and prayers for mercy rolled unceasingly
from his lips, until the rope choked his utterance. Just outside the
camp, stood a considerable grove of trees; to this we repaired with our
prisoners, and in ten minutes more they were run up, one after another,
and each hung convulsed in the death agony, at the end of a lariat.

To me, the utter cowardice displayed by these ruffians was
surprising--but there is something about the desperado nature that is
unaccountable--at least, it seems unaccountable, and it is this. The
true desperado is gifted with splendid courage, and yet he will take the
most infamous advantage of his enemy; armed and free, he will stand up
before a host and fight until he is cut to pieces, and yet, when brought
under the gallows, he will plead and cry like a child. The case of Reid,
was especially notable, from his bloody reputation, and the many
instances of courage he had shown in his conflicts with other outlaws.
Yet, when brought face to face with death, in a different form, he
seemed the veriest poltroon that ever walked.

Words cost nothing, and it is easy to call him a coward (as all executed
men, who fail to die "game" are invariably called by unreasoning
people), and when a man like Reid, so exhausts himself by tears, prayers
and lamentations, that he has scarcely strength enough to stand under
the gallows, it seems hardly possible that he could be otherwise. Yet he
had frequently defied and invited the vengeance of banded Rocky Mountain
cut-throats, by shooting down their comrades or leaders, and never
offering to hide or fly; he had shown himself to be a man of
unquestioned bravery, for no coward would dare do such things.

We often read of the most brutal and cowardly murderers, who, when on
the gallows, make their last dying speeches without a t