While I am Elder here, I
shall umbly endeavour to keep up the dignity of Him I serve to
the best of my small ability. So I must ask you to be good enough
to clear out. Allow me. [He takes the sack of husks and put it
out of the way against the panels of the jury box].
THE WOMEN [murmuring] Thats always the way. Just as we'd settled
down to work. What harm are we doing? Well, it is tiresome. Let
them finish the job themselves. Oh dear, oh dear! We cant have a
minute to ourselves. Shoving us out like that!
HANNAH. Whose horse was it, Mr Daniels?
ELDER DANIELS [returning to move the other sack] I am sorry to
say that it was the Sheriff's horse--the one he loaned to young
Strapper. Strapper loaned it to me; and the thief stole it,
thinking it was mine. If it had been mine, I'd have forgiven him
cheerfully. I'm sure I hoped he would get away; for he had two
hours start of the Vigilance Committee. But they caught him. [He
disposes of the other sack also].
JESSIE. It cant have been much of a horse if they caught him with
two hours start.
ELDER DANIELS [coming back to the centre of the group] The
strange thing is that he wasn't on the horse when they took him.
He was walking; and of course he denies that he ever had the
horse. The Sheriff's brother wanted to tie him up and lash him
till he confessed what he'd done with it; but I couldn't allow
that: it's not the law.
BABSY. Law! What right has a horse-thief to any law? Law is
thrown away on a brute like that.
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