The team was hitched when Honey came back, and he drove out to the main road.

“How did she take it?” asked Hashknife. Honey looked at Hashknife, a pained expression on his face.

“A-a-a-aw, ⸺!” he said explosively.

“Does she believe it?”

“Huh! I dunno what she believes. Yuh can’t tell nothin’ about a woman, Hartley. She didn’t say anythin’. I was wonderin’ if she heard what I told her, but I reckon she did. Anyway she didn’t say anythin’—jist walked away.”

They jolted along over the rough road. Honey turned to Hashknife, a grin on his lips.

“I ain’t no gentleman,” he said.

“Ain’t yuh?” asked Hashknife.

“Nossir,” Honey shook his head violently. “Can’t lie good enough. Laura said I ought to be crowned with an ax-handle for comin’ in and tellin’ Peggy that Joe Rich robbed the train. She said I should have lied about it.”

“Mebbe yuh should.”