“Wishing you the same!” said Johnny Dines. The glasses clinked together.
“So you be advised and don’t waive examination,” resumed Gwinne. “Wade will want you to do that. Don’t you listen to Wade. You make your fight to-morrow. Old Andy Hinkle, the J. P., he’s a homespun. When he hits a drill he hits her with all his carcass, from the ground up, and when he goes a-judging, justice is what he wants. His habit and disposition is real earnest and he mostly brings back what he goes after. You could rake all hell with a fine-tooth comb and not find a worse man to try you—if you killed Adam Forbes. If you did kill him you’re goin’ to lose your shadow soon—and there’s your fortune told, right now.”
“It is my thinking that I will make old bones yet, and tell tales in the chimney corner. Now you sit back and smoke while I wash up,” said Johnny, gathering up the dishes. “I gotta ingratiate myself with you, you know. Go on, now—tell us some more. And how about me having a confidential with my friends?”
“That’s just it. I was a-preparing of your mind, so you wouldn’t be disappointed too much. This prosecuting person, Wade—he done instructed me not to let you see anyone except your lawyer.”
“Lawyer, hell! What do I want of a lawyer?”
“Oh! Then you claim to be innocent, do you?” Gwinne’s silken brows arched in assumed astonishment.
“Well, I hope so!” said Johnny indignantly. “If I was claiming to be guilty, why confab with my friends? Say, this is one raw deal if a fellow can’t get an even break.”
“Wade claims you might frame up something. He was particularly anxious the John Cross shouldn’t hear of it until after your preliminary. Undue influence and all that.”
“Frame up my foot! I didn’t kill that man and I reckon I can prove it if I have any chance to know what evidence they’re going to bring against me.” Again that angry spot glowed on the clear olive of his cheek. “How can I study it over when I don’t know what’s happened or what is said to have happened? I’ll have to go to trial in the dark—no chance to cipher on what’s what, like I would if I had a chance to thresh it out with my friends.”