“Don’t you believe it, honey,” assured Mrs. Parker warmly. “Nothin’ to it. I’d like to talk to them trustees.”
I talked to ’em,” said Parker. “They’re going to ask me to resign from the board. I’ll be glad to, and I told ’em so.”
Lila left the table and went to her room. Jim Parker filled his pipe moodily, and while Mrs. Parker was clearing off the table Slim Caldwell came. He had talked with one of the trustees about Lila, and Slim was mad.
Lila came down the stairs. Slim was almost incoherent in his wrath, and afraid Lila would blame him for the arrest of Rance McCoy.
“I staved it off as long as I could. I didn’t want to do it, if only for your sake,” he told her. “Merkle demanded his arrest, and there wasn’t anythin’ I could do, Lila. Right now I’m lookin’ for Angel. He talked with them trustees. You heard him, Jim. He didn’t need to say the things he did. The things old Rance has done for the fool!”
“He’s his son,” said Lila wearily.
“And blood is thicker than water,” quoted Parker.
“Oh, it doesn’t matter,” said Lila—“I mean, about me. I’m sorry for him. I don’t believe he ever robbed anybody.”
“He practically confessed it,” sighed Slim. “Told Hale he’d never put a cent of it in the bank.”
“What does he have to say now?” asked Parker.