“Oh, yes,” Jimmy nodded slowly. “You see, I was afraid to tell anybody.”
“All right,” said Hashknife. “Now, tell us about the killin’ of the deputy sheriff, Jimmy.”
And Jimmy told them, while the two cowboys asked a question here and there to clarify things somewhat.
“Well, it looks to me as if it was a case of self-defense,” said Hashknife, when Jimmy had finished his story.
“He really reached for his gun,” said Jimmy. “I realized it.”
“What I’d like to know is, how in —— did yuh ever hit him?” queried Sleepy.
“I—I suppose it was because he’s larger than a tin can.”
“Where do yuh reckon yuh hit him?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” wailed Jimmy. “It must have been through the heart, because he fell down so quickly—and his knees were jerking.”
“That’s good shootin’, for the first time,” said Sleepy dryly. “Where is Marion?”