“Never mind, never mind!” Tim cut in under his breath to her. “It don’t matter, so long as you know.”
“Oh, well now, Sam, maybe he was,” the second man interposed pacifically.
“Maybe nuthin’!” the sheriff cut him off. “He’s had a whole two months to git from Hart’s Run to Camp Lee, an’ you know traffic ain’t blocked as bad as all that. An’ if it hadn’t of been for his wife catchin’ a sight of him, he’d be hidin’ here still in this damned love-nest.”
So Elizabeth had seen, after all! Their eyes turned swiftly to one another at that.
“Now then, be in a hurry,” the sheriff commanded. “I ain’t got time to waste over you. Here—where’s your hat?”
Julie went quickly and brought Tim’s hat, pressing it into his hands. “My honey! My honey!” she breathed.
But the sheriff cut in between them. “Here, none er that,” he cried, jerking Tim away.
“Take me! Take me, too!” Julie cried. “It was all my doing!”
But she was brushed aside.
“Git out of the way! We ain’t got nuthin’ to do with you,” the sheriff said, pushing Tim toward the door. On the threshold, Tim paused and twisted around to cry back, “It’s all right, Julie, it’s all right.”