"I don't know whether I have or not," he replied.
"I have, boss."
"You?" His tone betrayed neither eagerness nor interest.
"That's what fetches me here, boss!" Joe replied, sinking his voice to a whisper. "I got a damn good notion who killed old McBride; I could go out on the street and put my hand on the man who done it!"
"You mustn't come here with these pipe dreams of yours, Joe; you have been drunk and all this talk about the McBride murder's gone to your head!" retorted Gilmore contemptuously.
"I hope I may die if I ain't as sober as you this minute, boss!" returned the handy-man impressively.
"Well, what do you know—or think you know?" asked Gilmore with affected indifference.
"Boss, did I ever lie to you?" demanded Montgomery.
"If you did I never found you out."
"And why? You never had no chance to find me out; for the reason that I always tell you the almighty everlastin' truth!"