“I’m mighty proud,” he repeated, “to hear what you say.” He spoke gravely and with dignity; but a note of uncontrollable eagerness stole into his voice, as he added in a lower tone, “What mought you-all have to tell me about Creed Bonbright?”
“Pap, we done you a meanness in that business,” hastened Jeff. “We had no call to lie to you like we done, and send the feller word in yo’ name.”
“Wade, he was mad about his gal,” agreed Andy thoughtfully, “but what possessed me and Jeff I’ll never tell ye. Spy or no spy, we done that man wrong.”
Jephthah looked expectantly and in silence from one young face to the other.
“Blatch let on to you hit was the still; but of course we knowed hit was Jude that ailed him. He got Taylor Stribling to toll Creed to Foeman’s Bluff that night,” Jeff supplied. “Blatch picked the quarrel, and drawed a knife when they was wrastlin’, and when Bonbright pushed Blatch away from him, he fell over the cliff. That’s God’s truth about the business, pappy, ef I ever spoke it. Me an’ Andy an’ Wade was all into it.”
The boyish countenance was pale, and Jeff drew a nervous hand across his brow as he concluded. There followed a lengthened silence. Old Jephthah sat regarding his own brown right hand as it lay upon his knee.
“Ye tolled him thar,” he said finally. “Ye tolled him thar. Then Creed Bonbright wasn’t no spy.” He lifted his head. “I never could make it figure up right for that feller to be a spy. Curious he was, and he had some idees that I couldn’t agree with; but a spy——”
He broke off suddenly, and one saw how strong had been the bond between him and the young justice, how greatly he cared that the memory of the man even should be cleared.
The boys looked at each other, and with a gulp Jeff began again:
“I reckon you knowed well enough we stood in with Blatch when he hid out and let folks believe the killin’ had been did. We knowed you seen through it all; but when ye git started in a business like that, one thing leads on to another, and befo’ you’re done with it, ye do a plenty that you’d ruther not.”