bein' the case," remarked Wade Ruggles, with becoming gravity,
"this meeting will proceed to bus'ness. Pards, a hein'us crime has
been committed among us. In the proud history of New Constantinople,
we've had hangin' bees; we've shot three Injins 'cause they _was_
Injins; there has been any number of holes plugged inter them as was a
little careless of speech, and more'n once there has been the devil to
pay, but nothin' like this, _never_! Vose Adams, you was one as heard
this wretch Bidwell indulge in his shocking profanity. You'll be good
'nough to give the partic'lars to the gents that I must warn to brace
themselves fur the shock."

Vose Adams told the story which was familiar to all. He and Budge
Isham were approaching the Heavenly Bower that forenoon, the cause
being a due regard for the requirement of the laws of health, when
Albert Bidwell, the accused, stubbed his toe. Hearing a laugh, he
looked up and demanded to know what the ---- they were laughing at.
While the query, though objectionable on aesthetic grounds, might have
passed muster in the diggings or anywhere in New Constantinople
previous to the advent of the angel at present making her home with
them, yet the horror of the thing was that the aforesaid angel heard
it. She ran to the help of the villain, who added to his monumental
crime by calmly remarking to her that what he had just said would play
thunder with him.

This second offence was unanimously felt by those present to be more
unpardonable than the first, since it was in the nature of an
addendum, had nothing to do with the business proper, and worst of
all, was addressed to Nellie herself.

Chairman Ruggles turned his severest frown upon the prisoner, who was
sitting disconsolately on a box, and drawing at his brier wood pipe,
which in the depth of his emotion, he failed to notice was unlighted.

"What has the prisoner to say fur himself?"

Bidwell shuffled to his feet, took the pipe from his mouth and looked
around upon the cold, unsympathetic faces.

"Wal, pards," he remarked, heaving a great sigh, "I don't see that
there's anything partic'lar fur me to say. When a thing is fairly
proved onto you, you can't make nothin' by denyin' of the same. I've
been tryin' to walk a chalk line ever since the angel arrove among us.
Two or three times I fell over backward and bruised my head, owin' to
my tryin' to stand up too straight. I was just bracin' myself to do
the same as aforesaid, when co