‘Yeah, he’s down there,’ sighed Lem.
‘Any question about his guilt, Lem?’
‘I hope so, Jim. I dunno what defense the old man will put up. If he wasn’t a nester, he might get off. Yuh see, he warned Peter to keep away from his place. There ain’t no direct evidence that Morgan was killed on the Lane ranch, but the jury will probably think he was.’
‘How is Noah Evans getting along?’
‘Kinda slow. The doctor seems to think he’s out of danger. I reckon he is; he cusses all the time.’
They thanked the banker for his information. Lem had other business to transact; so they left him in Mesa City and rode back to the ranch. Hashknife was disappointed. He had expected some information from the banker which might be of some value to him, but, as far as he could see, they were up against a blank wall.
Rex had nothing to offer. He couldn’t remember what the signature on that check looked like.
‘I don’t know what to do,’ he told Hashknife.
‘I can’t stay here all my life. I haven’t any money, and no place to go. Rather a puzzling situation, isn’t it?’
‘Well, we’re in the same boat,’ smiled Hashknife. ‘But our case is a little different, except that we can’t all pull out and leave that girl here alone. The Lanes haven’t any money, either. It looks to me as though we’ve all got to stay here and see what works out. Me and Sleepy have enough for a grubstake for all of us, I reckon.’