This was not what Cairness wanted either. He persisted in the silence. A prolonged silence will sometimes have much the same effect as solitary confinement. It will force speech against the speaker's own will.
Mrs. Lawton gritted her teeth at him as though she would have rejoiced greatly to have had his neck between them. By and by she started once more. "Bill jest told him about it—like a goldarned fool."
"That," said Cairness, cheerfully, "is more like it. Go on."
"That's all."
"Begging your pardon, it's not all."
"What the devil do you want to know, then?"
He considered. "Let me see. For instance, when did Lawton tell him, and why, and exactly what?"
"You don't say!" she mocked. "You want the earth and some sun and moon and stars, don't you, though? Well, then, Bill told him about a week afterward. And he told him because Stone had another hold on him (it ain't any of your business what that was, I reckon), and bullied it out of him (Bill ain't got any more backbone than a rattler), and promised to lend him money to set up for hisself on the Circle K Ranch. Want to know anything else?" she sneered.
"Several things, thanks. You haven't told me yet what version of it your husband gave to Stone." Cairness was a little anxious. It was succeed or fail right here.
"Told him the truth, more idjit he."