Jimmy had just recited the incident of the stranger’s attempt to take Carver unawares and was now merely adding a few conclusions of his own to lend an air of spice and mystery to the tale.
“He knows too much about folks that are running things in the county seat, Carver does; him and Bart Lassiter,” Jimmy stated. “A bartender hears things. Folks get to talking over their drinks. Most always they do. I’ve heard it said for a positive fact that Bart saw Wellman blow up the bridge out of Oval Springs the night the up-passenger was ditched and two men killed. Wellman was sheriff at the time.”
It seemed that the two homesteaders had also been hearing things.
“United States mail went up in smoke that night when the mail car burned,” said one. “I’ve heard that Mattison’s still making inquiries about that. He never quits, Mattison don’t.”
“Well, then, and who’s the two men that could convict Wellman and get him hung a mile high?” The saloon man pointed out triumphantly. “Who, now? Why, Bart Lassiter! And Carver! I’d never want it said that it come from me; it’s only between us three. But who is it that knows Freel led the shooting when some of Mattison’s men was killed at the same time Wellman was wrecking the bridge? Whoever knew that would be dangerous to Freel, wouldn’t he? See how it all works out?”
The two nodded agreement.
“There’s a dozen of Carver’s close neighbors that swear he was home the whole day of that Wharton business that Freel was trying to connect him up with,” one volunteered. “I guess Freel seen it wouldn’t do any good to have him put under arrest.”
“Arrest! Listen!” and Jimmy leaned farther over the bar. “That was months back. It’s no arrest that he wants. Didn’t I say there was due to be a killing? He was just paving the way for it. Mark me, now! Some day we all will hear that Carver and Bart has been arrested—dead!” He lowered his voice still farther. “The fellow that left his horse out there while he waited for Carver was wearing a deputy’s badge under his vest. But he didn’t appear anxious to arrest Carver alive.”
Jimmy sighed and passed the two men a drink on the house. Later he would charge that bit of hospitality against the sum Carver had left with him for the purpose.
“Of course I wouldn’t want to be quoted,” he concluded. “But a bartender hears things. Folks get to talking over their drinks. Most always they do.”