"I never knew any innocent man--" "Oh! You didn't know ?" "All I know," said Art, with a certain swiftness of speech that was a new element in his manner, "I'm dead willing to tell you.

I knew Johnny had been around knocking the outfit, and making some threats, and saying things he had no business to say.

I never did have any use for him, just because he was so mouthy.

I wasn't surprised to hear--how it ended up." "To hear! You weren't there, when it happened ?" Jean was watching him for some betraying emotion, some sign that she had struck home.

She got a quick, sharp glance from him, as if he were trying to guess just how much she knew.
"Why should I have been there?
The last time I was ever at the Lazy A," he stated distinctly, "was the day before I left.