“Has Hozie gone home?” Len spoke to Lonnie.
“Gone home? Of course he’s gone home. You seen him leave, didn’t yuh?”
Kelsey nodded. Lonnie seemed belligerent.
“When yuh found Jim Wheeler, yuh—uh—didn’t look in his pockets, didja, Lonnie?”
“Look in his pockets? What for, I’d crave to ask yuh?”
Kelsey turned to Merrick.
“Mebbe you better go down to the doctor’s place, Ed. Mebbe it’s still there. I don’t reckon anybody looked.”
Merrick nodded shortly and hurried away. Joe looked curiously at Kelsey, but the new sheriff was leaning against a porch post, rolling a cigaret.
“Just why had I ought to wait?” asked Joe.
“Just for instance,” Kelsey lighted his cigaret.