“I can’t say that I particularly enjoyed it. It’s too bad that Bud was killed.”
“I guess you’re right, boy. I don’t enjoy killing anyone either. But sometimes it just can’t be helped.”
“I guess that’s true, Mr. Woods. But it is too bad that it ever has to be done.”
“Well, when we get a better social system in which men and women will have no reason to be dishonest then there won’t be any shooting of anyone, I guess.”
Wallace had nothing to say, so he kept quiet. After a while, the government agent said, “When you come to think of it, you had more to do with the death of that gangster than I did.”
“How do you mean?” questioned Wallace anxiously.
“You threw the stone and forced him to expose himself.”
“Yes, but you did the shooting.”
“Of course, but—well, never mind. Let’s talk of something else.”
They rode along, the agent telling a cheerful anecdote while Wallace listened.