"Old Man Hawk's out getting the men together. He vows Ned shot Ward. We can't allow no lynching, Jodie! What's worse, Wes Bailey's gone to town to get the sheriff to come arrest you!"
"Great Jehoshaphat and gully dirt!"
"Wes thinks you killed Ward!"
"Where'd you see Wes and Old Man Hawk?"
"Hawk phoned just a minute ago. Said he had proof on Ned."
"Proof? What sorta proof?"
"He was so excited he didn't say. And, dolt that I am, I didn't have gumption enough to ask him. Anyhow, him and Hal Goode and three or four more want me and you to go with them to get Ned. They'll be here any time now."
"We'll stop them! I figure myself that Ned might've done it, but we don't know it for a fact! And we can't let him get killed just 'cause of some notion Old Man Hawk's got!"
"No! Hawk's in his second childhood! Besides, I don't believe it was Ned."
"How come Wes Bailey says I had anything to do with the killing?"