“I know it,” Jimmy sighed wearily. “But all I could think about was to run away. I’ve never killed a man before.”
“Prob’ly the first time he ever was killed, too.”
“Oh, don’t joke about it! It’s a terrible thing.”
“Pshaw, I wasn’t jokin’, Jimmy.”
“I know, but—”
A horse swung in through the patio gate, and Jimmy almost fell off the curb; but it was only Marion. She looked at Jimmy and began laughing. Geronimo barked joyfully and tried to jump up to her stirrup.
But Jimmy only stared at her blankly, his mouth open.
“What’s the joke?” asked Hashknife seriously.
“Dud-don’t laugh,” pleaded Jimmy. “It isn’t anything to laugh about.”
Between chuckles of merriment Marion managed to tell them what Jimmy had done, while Jimmy, his eyes and mouth wide open, leaned against the curb, gasping like a fish out of water.