"Just an Injun," he said. "Old Muckamuck Charlie who works at the Cle Elum mill."
[XXI]
Tesno herded the riderless horses through town to the livery barn. He briefly questioned the attendant, then rode back down the street. He intended to go at once to Vickers' camp; but in front of the marshal's office, a thing happened that changed his mind.
The freighters were unloading the canvas-shrouded bodies here, carrying them into the office. A little crowd was gathering on the walk, and Madrid stood at the front of it. Tesno maneuvered his horse between wagons and stopped directly before the marshal. Silence washed over the crowd. For a moment neither man spoke. Then Tesno said, "I found the bodies."
"Why tell me?" Madrid said. "It didn't happen in my jurisdiction."
"Not interested?"
Madrid shrugged. "It's all plain enough. One of the prisoners had a gun. They shot it out. They—"
Mr. Jay stepped out of the crowd. He touched Madrid's elbow without looking at him, and the marshal fell silent.
"Is that what it looked like to you, Mr. Tesno?" Mr. Jay asked.