“Um—yes.” Johnny hesitated, and fell silent. Hales fidgeted. “And the murdered man,” began Johnny slowly, and stopped. Hales heaved a sigh of relief. Johnny darted a swift glance at the judge. “And the murdered man had been shot three times?”
“Three times. In the back.”
“The shots were close together?”
“Yes. My hand would have covered all three.”
“Sure of that?”
“Positive.”
“In your opinion, these shots had been fired at close range?”
An interruption came. Four men trooped into the door, booted and spurred; three of the John Cross men—Tom Ross, Frank Bojarquez, Will Foster; with Hiram Yoast, of the Bar Cross: four fit to stand by Cæsar. A stir ran through the court room. They raised their hands to Johnny in grave salute; they filed to a bench together.
Johnny repeated the question: “You say, Mr. Hales, that these three shots had been fired at close range?”
“The dead man’s shirt was burned. The gun must have been almost between his shoulder blades.”