Does any one here think any of
them guiltless? Consult your consciences, gentlemen. I agree with you
that it is a fearful thing to take a man's life. Vote carefully. Consult
your consciences."

We balloted at last on each name separately, and the five leaders were
condemned to death.

Next came up the vital questions of ways and means. Many were in favour
of a night surprise, and an immediate hanging before the desperadoes
could be organized for defence. Danny had a hard time showing them good
reasons against this course, but at last he succeeded.

"This must be done deliberately and publicly," he maintained. "Otherwise
it fails of its effect. We've got to show the gang that the camp is
against them; and that won't be done by hanging some of them secretly."

"Suppose the camp doesn't back us up?" queried a miner.

"Remember your oath, gentlemen," was Danny's only reply to this.

It was decided at last that five committees should be appointed to
arrest each of the five men, that the prisoners should be confined in a
certain isolated log cabin, and that the execution should take place in
broad daylight. There remained only to apportion the committees. This
was done, and at about two or three o'clock we quietly dispersed. I was
instructed to cooeperate with three of the miners in the arrest of
Catlin.

With the members of my committee I returned to our own camp, there to
await the appointed hour of seven. This had been selected for several
reasons: it was daylight, the roughs would be at home, and the
community, although afoot, would not yet have gone to work. While
waiting we cooked ourselves some hot coffee and made some flapjacks. The
chill, gray time of day had come, the period of low vitality, and we
shivered with the cold and with excitement. Nobody had much to say. We
waited grimly for the time to pass.

About six o'clock Yank arose, seized his long rifle and departed for the
log cabin that had been designated as the jail. His lameness had
prevented him from being appointed on one of the arresting committees,
but he had no intention of being left out. A half hour later we followed
him into town.

It was a heavenly fall morning of the sort that only mountain California
can produce. The camp was beginning to awaken to its normal activity. I
remember wondering vaguely how it could be so calm and unconcerned. My
heart was beating violently, and I had to clench my teeth tight to keep
them from chattering. This