“I’ll be with you in a jiffy. I want to wash up a bit.”
He met them at the stables a few minutes later. The effect of the liquor had entirely disappeared. He seemed his normal self again, and not at all like a man who had the blood of a new murder on his soul. He was glad to see Shannon, and squeezed her hand as he passed her horse to get his own.
In the few moments since his father had awakened him, he had reviewed the happenings of the previous day, and his loyalty to the girl he loved had determined him that he had nothing to grieve about. Whatever had been between her and Crumb she would explain. Only the fact that Eva had interrupted her had kept him from knowing the whole truth the previous day.
They were mounted, and had started out, when the colonel reined to Custer’s side.
“Shannon just made a gruesome find up in Sycamore,” he said, and paused.
If he had intended to surprise Custer into any indication of guilty knowledge, he failed.
“Gruesome find!” repeated the younger man. “What was it?”
“Wilson Crumb has been murdered. Shannon found his body.”
“The devil!” ejaculated Custer. “Who do you suppose could have done it?”
Then, quite suddenly, his heart came to his mouth, as he realized that there was only one present there who had cause to kill Wilson Crumb. He did not dare to look at Shannon for a long time.