Honey snorted and threw away his cigaret.
“I’ll betcha he’s pullin’ away from here awful fast. Joe ain’t no fool. I’ll bet he knows when he’s had enough.”
“Might be,” said Hashknife. “But I doubt it. Suppose we ride over to town and have a look around.”
Sleepy and Honey were more than willing. They told the girls they would be back for supper. Peggy drew Hashknife aside and wanted to know what the sheriff had in mind. Hashknife told her frankly that Cates was a detective, and wanted him to help find Joe Rich.
“Just why did he want you to help?” she asked.
“Well, yuh see, it’s like this,” lied Hashknife. “Kelsey’s got the idea that folks around here are too friendly with Joe to hunt him. Me and Sleepy, bein’ strangers to Joe, might not be so particular.”
“Oh, I see. And are you going to help him?”
“No-o-o-o—I’m goin’ to help us find him, Peggy.”
“But what good will that do?”
“Any ‘good’ is better than we’ve got, Peggy.”