“I been robbed,” The Pup continued, and gulped again. “Been robbed of everything I had except the hoss, an’ he ran away. For three days I been walkin’—tryin’ to find some one—any one—tryin’ to find food—”
“Who robbed you?”
“Denver Smith an’ his bunch.”
“Denver Smith!” Jake Trummer ejaculated, and bent over The Pup. “When did yuh see them? Where are they? Have they got—”
“Give the man a chance, Jake,” Mr. Manley advised gently. “He’s all in. Listen Marino,” he said in a louder tone, “do you know where Denver Smith is now?”
“Said he was goin’ to rustle your cattle an’ follow the river to the Border,” The Pup whispered weakly. “Wanted me to go in it with him, but I figured I’d done enough to you. Then Denver hit me—hit me with somethin’—” stupidly he put his hand to his head. “Hit me, an’ took the four hundred dollars, an’ when I woke up my hoss was gone an’ I was lyin’ near some trees. The four hundred bucks—I was hopin’ to make Togas an’ find my sister—an’ I was goin’ to work—buy a store, maybe—an’ send the money back to you, boss—honest I was—every cent—”
“And buy a few more knives with some one else’s initials burned in the handle,” Teddy interrupted bitterly. “The story listens fine, Marino!”
“I ain’t lyin’!” Marino almost screamed. “It’s the truth! I wanted to start clean! I been a long time livin’ down—what I used to be. Then, that night—I must have been crazy, I guess. I’d been drinkin’ too much an’ I thought I could turn a trick just once more an’ go back home an’ live straight. My mother—I killed her, I guess, ’cause she died when she found out what I was. It was then I promised my sister I’d give up—that stuff. Oh, you might as well know it all,” he burst out, his words tumbling over one another as if in agony to escape before being called back. “I was a bandit—that knife was marked with my initials, Teddy. My real name’s Jules Kolto—”
“You—Jules Kolto?” Pop cried incredulously. “I heard lots about you years ago! Then yuh are a Mex, after all!”
“Yep, I’m Mex,” Kolto went on bitterly. “A Mex, a hoss thief, an’ a bandit. Now you know. If yuh want to string me up, go ahead!” he exclaimed defiantly. “I ain’t any good to nobody, least of all to myself! So do what you want with me—an’ I won’t do no cryin’, neither!” He took a deep breath, then a sudden tremor shook his frame.