He hurried off without further word.
Steve walked into the house again. “Miss Ess,” he said, “I couldn’t tell your uncle, as it might have made it awkward for him to answer the questions that are sure to be put to him, but I want to tell you something of this business.”
“Is it necessary for me to know?” she asked. “I can guess at a good deal, of course, but——”
“I’d like to tell you,” he said, “You’ll hear a good deal of it, and I’d like you to have my word on it. The police are after me—I just got away by seconds, and they’ll be hard on my tracks now. I’m wanted for—murder.”
He watched her closely, and saw the blood ebb from her face, but she made no sign of shrinking from him.
“I did not do it,” he continued. “I know nothing whatever of it.” He saw relief flash across her face. “But it seems to look black against me. Dan Mulcahy tried to arrest me, and when I rode for it he shot at me. Dan’s a friend of mine, and he wouldn’t have done that if it hadn’t looked clear against me. I had fought with the man half an hour before; we’d all been drinking through the night, and there was some wild work, and this man said—something that angered me. I fought with him, and when they separated us I threatened to kill him. He went off, and shortly after I left to get my horse. I brought him back to the hotel and saddled him, and in the interval the man was found dead beside his own door, and that’s next door to the horse paddock I’d just left. You see, it all fits in. I’d have gone with Dan, but he wanted to handcuff me—I couldn’t stand that. It was foolish, maybe, and it made it look worse if possible for me to bolt. But I was hot with anger at the thought of Dan refusing my word to go quiet, and—well, we’d all been drinking heavy, and maybe I wasn’t as able to think clear as I am now. Anyhow, I ran for it, and—here I am.”
“Is it too late—couldn’t you go back and give yourself up?” asked Ess.
He laughed bitterly. “No,” he said, “I’ve chosen, and I’m not fond of going back on things. And innocent men have swung before now. I won’t risk that. So I’m for the hills and away; and this is good-bye. Maybe, a last good-bye.”
“I hope not, Steve,” she said, lifting her eyes to his. “The guilty one may be found, and that will clear you, and you can come back. I’ll hope to see you again—here or elsewhere.”
“You don’t doubt me—you take my word?” said Steve.