Page:Life Amongst the Modocs.djvu/323

 ere as else-

where. Afterwards I began the practice of law, and my first client was a boy of fifteen, on trial for shooting with attempt to murder.

The court-house here was a saloon, and crowded to the utmost. A vigilance committee had been organized, and strange as it seems, Hirst was one of the leaders.

When my case had fairly opened, Hirst entered with a brace of pistols sticking loosely in his belt in front, and striding through the yielding crowd, came up and took position only a few feet from me, over looking me, and looking straight into the face of the timid magistrate. Of course I could not remon strate. I faltered through the case, but managed somehow to get the boy off with a nominal bail.

The energetic little rascal went into a neighbour ing camp and with another boy stole some horses. They were followed by the sheriff, Haddock, and his deputy, Hart, and a desperate fight took place, in which the deputy and my client s companion were killed and Haddock left for dead.

Hy client was tried for life, but his youth saved his neck, and after five years in the Oregon state prison was pardoned out by the kind-hearted Governor, now Governor of Utah.

I last year saw my first client, a fine-looking young man, working gaily away at a country black smith s shop, on a roadside of the Willamette. Hay good angels keep my first client to his work !

Afterwards, Hirst appeared in the criminal court