“I dunno,” said McLaren. “Ye see, boys, it’s a serious charge they’ve put against Joe Rich.”
“Serious!” snorted Lonnie. “To shoot Kelsey? Why, Kelsey was reachin’ for—”
“I know that, Lonnie. But that’s not the charge. Today Ed Merrick loaned Jim Wheeler five thousand in cash and took Jim’s note for it. Jim rode away with the money. There’s not a cent on poor Jim—and Joe was the one who found him.”
“A-a-a-a-aw, ⸺!” Lonnie dropped his glass on the floor.
“Yuh mean to say that Joe got away with it?” asked Nebrasky.
“I’m not sayin’ anythin’, Nebr-r-rasky. It was told to me. I went to the bank, and they tell me Merrick drew the money.”
“Well, for ⸺’s sake!” snorted Lonnie. “That’s awful!”
“Aye, it is. Well, here’s luck, boys!”
McLaren drained his glass alone. The Heavenly Triplets and Slim had no taste for liquor now. They went outside and sat down on the edge of the sidewalk, humped over like four crows on a fence-rail.
For possibly five minutes they said nothing. Then Lonnie broke the silence with—