Sleepy came around the house and they all sat down in the shade of the porch. Rex wanted to know what an inquest meant, and Hashknife explained all about it.
‘And if that jury decides that Mr. Morgan was killed by Mr. Lane, they will hang Mr. Lane?’
‘Well, not immediately,’ said Hashknife. ‘They will have to capture Mr. Lane and give him a fair trial.’
‘Have they any evidence that Mr. Lane killed him?’
‘Only that Lane hated Morgan and threatened to shoot any of his outfit that might come over here; and the fact that the horse bearing the body of Morgan came from this direction. Of course those are merely circumstantial facts. And there’s the fact that the sheriff found Peter Morgan’s gun in the corral down there.’ Hashknife was watching Rex closely when he brought out the last evidence, and he saw Rex change color quickly, shutting his lips tightly. And he did not look at Hashknife when Hashknife added:
‘That last bit of evidence might hang him.’
‘I don’t know anything about it,’ said Rex slowly.
‘Of course not.’
‘I—I didn’t see the gun.’
‘Prob’ly not. The sheriff found it. He said that you fainted in the corral.’