Nan was thinking of the gun in the corral. After a moment she turned and went into the kitchen, where she began preparing a meal.
Hashknife studied the attitude of Rex Morgan, who might well have been posing for a statue of Despondency.
‘How do yuh like this country, Morgan?’ he asked.
Rex looked up slowly and sighed audibly.
‘I think I prefer civilization, Mr. Hartley.’
‘You are seeing life in the rough, Morgan,’ grinning.
‘Seeing? Horned frawgs, as Mr. Bunty Smith says—I’m living it.’
CHAPTER X: LYNCH LAWYERS
The following morning, shortly after daylight, Lem Sheeley and Joe Cave arrived at the ranch with the hack from the 6X6 and a top-buggy. They were going to take Peter Morgan’s body to Cañonville in the hack, and Lem brought the top-buggy to take Nan to the inquest—or rather the double inquest.
This had been the date set for the inquest over the body of Ben Leach; so they were going to hold one over Peter Morgan on the same day. Lem had appointed Joe Cave to act as his deputy while Noah Evans was out of commission.