He made as if to dismount.
“Oh, I wouldn’t do that,” said Pete mildly. “Look at your friends, first. They’re just as overborne as you are, likely—but you notice they are not making any complaints. They know me, you see. They know how Adam Forbes stood in Garfield, and what kind of folks live in Garfield; and they know that whoever killed Adam is in trouble up to his neck. You mustn’t mind our little ways. However, as the witness is peeved, we’ll try another. Jody, speak up and tell us.”
“You act like we was under suspicion,” sneered Hales.
“Sure, you’re under suspicion! What do you expect? Everybody’s under suspicion till we find the right man. I’m going to send word up and down to hold all strangers. That part is all right. Hello, Jerome! You missed most of the evidence! I’ll tell you about it as we go up.”
“Now why the little gun?” said Jerome Martin, tranquilly.
“Been holding an election. Now, Jody—your little piece.”
“There’s not much to tell. We found Adam’s body a little ways down the cañon, maybe a quarter or a little more; and just this side of it we found where a yearling had been branded, or a big calf; ashes still warm. Looks just like this fellow had been stealing one of Adam’s calves, and Adam caught him at it.”
“But you said Adam was shot in the back at close range,” objected Charlie. “Adam Forbes wouldn’t turn his back to any man, under those circumstances. That won’t work.”
“Yes, we thought of that,” said Caney. “More likely he saw Adam coming and killed him before he got to the calf—pretending to be friendly. Anyhow, Adam’s horse went off down the cañon, and the other man went down the cañon, and we came after him. Oh, yes! His horse lost a shoe, as we told you before—the murderer’s. Must have lost it chasing that calf. Tracks didn’t show it in the soft ground in the park, anyhow—though we didn’t look very close till we found Adam. But after he left Adam’s body his tracks showed one shoe gone. That’s all. Adam’s horse bore off to the left. He had a larger foot than the other, and we could see where the bridle dragged.”
“I’ll send someone to find him. You didn’t hear any shots?”