"Do you have to be so gloomy?"
"What'd you do if you was on your way to jail? Turn handsprings?"
Loring Blade grinned mirthlessly, speared two pork chops and added a generous helping of potatoes. He broke a hot biscuit and lathered it with butter. The game warden began to eat.
"Seen Damon and Pythias lately?" he asked companionably.
"Nope."
Loring Blade looked down at his plate. Under ordinary circumstances they could have made easy conversation. But circumstances weren't ordinary; the shadow of one in trouble cast its pall over the other three. The game warden ate a pork chop and some of his potatoes. Then, unable to refrain from talking about that which loomed so largely, he burst out, "Al, for pete's sake! If you have anything to say, say it! If you shot in self-defense, I, for one, will buy the story. There's a way out if you'll take it!"
"I've told my story, Lorin'."
"You refuse to admit you shot Delbert?"
"I didn't shoot him."
Callahan said, "There's evidence to the contrary."