CHAPTER XVIII
THE VERDICT OF THE COURT
"I charge this young man, Stacy Brown, with having violated the gamelaws by killing a bull moose down in Moquin Valley on the sixteenthday of June," announced the warden.
"What evidence have you of the fact?" demanded the justice.
"His own admissions."
"To whom?"
"Pretty nearly every person in the village. He told them all aboutit at the hotel. Word was brought to me and I went there. Herepeated his story to me in great detail."
"What was done with the carcass?" demanded the justice.
"Part of it was eaten, the rest buried, according to the boy'sstatement."
"Did he take the antlers?"
"No, the antlers were buried. It seems the guide of the party was toreturn later and get the antlers out, after the season opens inOctober."
"Who was the guide?"
"Cale Vaughn. He is at home laid up with a broken ankle, else Ishould have had him here to give evidence, and perhaps to answer forthe killing of the moose."
"He had nothing to do with the killing, did he?"
"Not according to the boy's story."
"Then this court has nothing to do with Cale Vaughn in the presentissue. The question is, did the accused kill a moose on the datementioned in the complaint? I will hear from some of our citizens.Did any other person present in this court hear the statementsattributed to the boy Brown?"
Several voices answered in the affirmative. The justice called threemen to the stand, one after the other. Each told the same story, thePony Rider Boys listening with close attention.
"Stacy didn't leave much to the imagination, did he?" whispered Tadin the ear of Ned Rector.
"I should say he didn't. But this must be another moose that he istalking about. This a brand-new story we are hearing."
"It's the same old moose, but with new trimmings," answered Tad.
The evidence of the villagers fully confirmed what Jed Whitman hadsaid; in fact, it was wholly convincing. During all the talkingChunky had stood before the deal table behind which sat the justice,the boy twisting and untwisting his weather-worn sombrero, now andthen gazing about him with wide, soulful eyes.
"Reminds me of a yearling calf about to be turned into veal,"muttered Ned. Squire Halliday heard the whisper, though not catchingthe words, and threatened to eject the party from the room if anyonespoke without being asked.
"Stacy Brown, stand up!" commanded the squire.
"I--I am standing up," stammered Chunky. "I've been standing up allthe time."
"Silence!"
Chunky shrank within himself.
"The accused will now give his version of the affair," announced thejustice.
The accused grew red in the face, but did not speak.
"Give your testimony."
"Tell the court your side of the story," directed Jed.
"I--I didn't mean to do it," stammered the fat boy.
"Then you admit it?" snapped the squire.
"I--I had to do it, or he would have killed me," protested the fatboy.
"Explain."
"I was standing against a tree. I looked up and saw that big thingstanding in front of me. I was scared stiff--"
"Moderate your language, young man," commanded the court. "Arespectful attitude must be maintained toward this court, or theoffender will be severely punished. Proceed."
"He came for me with his head down. I fell over. He butted his headagainst the tree where I had been standing. Then he fell over, too.I guess the bump must have given him a headache for he didn't get up.I got to my feet and saw him lying there. Then I happened to thinkof my knife. I jumped in and cut his throat. You see, I wasexcited."
"Ah!" breathed the court.
"Yes, sir," exclaimed Stacy, warming to his subject. "I cut thatmoose's throat. I almost cut his head off. I wasn't a bit afraid ofthat fellow with a back like a giraffe, and ears like a mullen leaf."
"You were not afraid," nodded the justice.
"No, sir, I wasn't. Why, when I first set eyes on him, I just wentfor him like this." Stacy squared off, and swinging his arms headvanced, sidestepped and ducked. "No, sir. I wasn't afraid. I'mnot afraid of any animal that runs on four legs. I made up my mindthat he was going to be mine. I wanted a piece of steak from thatold moose."
"You could have got away from him, had you wished, could you not?"questioned the justice.
"Got away from him? Of course I could. But why should I want to getaway? I wanted him, and I got him."
"Just so," answered the justice dryly. "Who are the members of yourparty?"
Stacy named them, pointing to each one, the justice eyeing themfrowningly. Tad had groaned when Stacy told his story--his secondstory. He saw that the boy had made his own case as bad as it couldbe made, through his desire to glorify himself.
"Thaddeus Butler, stand up!" commanded the justice. "What do you knowabout this case, young man?" he demanded.
"No more than you already have heard, sir."
"Were you a witness to the killing?"
"No, sir."
"When was your attention first attracted to it?"
"When I heard my companion call out."
"Was the moose dead when you reached the scene?"
"Practically."
"Brown had killed it?"
"I supposed so."
"What did he tell you?"
"Something like what he has told to you. I guess the main facts weresomewhat similar," answered Tad with a faint smile.
"You ate some of the meat?"
"We did."
"Did your guide, Cale Vaughn, approve of what had been done?"
"He did not. He said it was against the law to kill moose at thistime of the year."
"Did he bury the antlers, proposing to return later and get them?"
"We buried the antlers, sir. The moose was dead. No further harmcould be done, it seemed to me."
"No, you are right. You had already done quite enough. You hadviolated the law. You could violate it no further except by killinganother moose or a deer. That will be all. Professor Zepplin, standup. You are in charge of this party, are you not?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you think you are doing your duty as a law-abiding citizen bypermitting one under your charge to violate one of our most sacredlaws?"
The Professor's whiskers bristled.
"I do not see how I could have prevented this, sir."
"A proper supervision of your party surely would have kept them frombreaking the laws, no matter how lawless--"
"My young men are not lawless, sir," retorted Professor Zepplinindignantly. "They are most respectable, law-abiding young men. Whatoccurred was accidental. I am thoroughly convinced of that.Statements to the contrary are untrue, and--"
"Silence!" thundered Squire Halliday.
"I demand the right to be heard in this matter. If we cannot getjustice in this court we shall seek it elsewhere. My young men havedone nothing to warrant this high-handed proceeding. One of my partywas attacked by an angry beast. He defended himself to the best ofhis ability. Had he not killed the moose the probability is that thebeast would have killed him. Even had this not been the case one orthe other of us would have been obliged to shoot the moose to protectourselves."
The Professor was angry and made no attempt to disguise his feelings.He considered the detention of Stacy Brown a high-handed proceedingand he resented it.
"I have nothing more to say at the present time. I may have occasionto remark further at another time," was the way Professor Zepplinwound up.
"The case appears plain enough. I shall have to give the young manthe limit of the law. I am sorry that there is a limit," said thecourt.
"What? You are going to punish him?" demanded the Professor,bristling.
"Certainly. He admits killing the moose, does he not?"
"Yes," assented the Professor.
"T
hen I have no alternative. I must pronounce sentence."
Stacy's face grew suddenly pale.
"Stacy Brown, I fine you one hundred dollars and costs. The costswill probably reach twenty-five dollars. Pay your fine or take ajail sentence, whichever you may prefer."
"Oh, help!" moaned the fat boy, gazing about him helplessly.