Sanders moved across.
"Hank says you sent a note to Joyce sayin' I'd been hurt. What about it?"
"Why would I do that when you're not hurt?"
"Then you didn't?"
"Of course not," answered Dave, perplexed.
"Some one's been stringin' you, Hank," said Crawford, smiling.
The teamster scratched his head. "No, sir. I was there when she left.
About twelve o'clock last night, mebbe later."
"But Sanders says he didn't send a note, and Joyce didn't come here. So you must 'a' missed connections somewhere."
"Probably you saw her start for home," suggested Dave.
Hank stuck to his guns. "No, sir. She was on that sorrel of hers, an' Keith was ridin' behind her. I saddled myself and took the horse to the store. They was waitin' there for me, the two young folks an' Juan."