“A blank shyster, who had swindled the widows and orphans in Arkansas and escaped from jail.”
“And his name isn't Brown?”
“No,” said the colonel curtly.
“What is it?”
“That is a matter which concerns only myself and him, sir,” said the colonel loftily; “but for which I am—er—personally responsible.”
A wild idea took possession of Blair.
“And you say he was a noted desperado?” he said with nervous hesitation.
The colonel glared.
“Desperado, sir! Never! Blank it all!—a mean, psalm-singing, crawling, sneak thief!”
And Blair felt relieved without knowing exactly why.