Theyre sound enough to hang a horse-thief, anyhow.
BLANCO. Any fool can hang the wisest man in the country. Nothing
he likes better. But you cant hang me.
STRAPPER. Cant we?
BLANCO. No, you cant. I left the town this morning before
sunrise, because it's a rotten town, and I couldn't bear to see
it in the light. Your brother's horse did the same, as any
sensible horse would. Instead of going to look for the horse, you
went looking for me. That was a rotten thing to do, because the
horse belonged to your brother--or to the man he stole it from--
and I don't belong to him. Well, you found me; but you didn't
find the horse. If I had took the horse, I'd have been on the
horse. Would I have taken all that time to get to where I did if
I'd a horse to carry me?
STRAPPER. I dont believe you started not for two hours after you
say you did.
BLANCO. Who cares what you believe or dont believe? Is a man
worth six of you to be hanged because youve lost your big
brother's horse, and youll want to kill somebody to relieve your
rotten feelings when he licks you for it? Not likely. Till you
can find a witness that saw me with that horse you cant touch me;
and you know it.
STRAPPER. Is that the law, Elder?
ELDER DANIELS. The Sheriff knows the law. I wouldnt say for sure;
but I think it would be more seemly to have a witness. Go and
round one up, Strapper; and leave me here alone to wrestle with
his poor blinded soul.
STRAPPER.
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