From the ovens and skillets on the embers Pete heaped his plate with a savory stew, hot sourdough bread, fried rabbit, and canned corn fried to a delicate golden brown.

Pete took a deep draught of the unsweetened hot black coffee, placed the cup on the sand beside him, and gathered up knife and fork.
From the farther side of the fire Carr brought another skillet, containing jerky, with onions and canned tomatoes.
"From the recipe of a nobleman in the county," he said.
"Now, then," said Pete, "tell it to me." So Carr told him at length the story of the robbery and Stanley Mitchell's arrest, aided by a few questions from Pete.
"And the funny thing is, there's a lot of folks not so well satisfied yet, for all they found the money and notwithstandin' the young feller himself didn't make no holler.

They say he wasn't that kind.

The deputy sher'f, 'special, says he don't believe but what it was a frame-up to do him.

And Bull Pepper, that found the money hid in the saddle riggin', says he: 'That money was put there a-purpose to be found; fixed so it wouldn't be missed.'" He looked a question.
"Ya-as," said Pete.
Thus encouraged, Carr continued: "And Old Mose Taylor, at the Mountain House--Mitchell got his hearin' before him, you know--he says Mitchell ain't surprised or excited or much worried, and makes no big kick, just sits quiet, a-studyin', and he's damned if he believes he ever done it.