"And wasn't it then that you picked up this pistol?"
"No, sir."
"Did you know what it means, if it was true, to see a pistol put down by a woman by this porch?"
"I think so."
"Tell me."
"Well, I thought it meant that somebody wanted to make it appear that Joe Rainey had it."
"Well, then you knew it was your duty as a good boy to tell the authorities—to tell the State's Attorney?"
"Yes, sir, I know it now."
"Didn't you know it then?"
"In a kind of way, but I was so taken up with the treasure and going to see Tom Sawyer; and I had been subpœnaed in the Doc Lyon case and I was afraid I would be subpœnaed in this case and kept here so I couldn't go away."