A man elbowed his way into the circle.
“It's Duane. I recognize him. I seen him in more'n one place,” he said. “Sibert, you can rely on what I tell you. I don't know if he's locoed or what. But I do know he's the genuine Buck Duane. Any one who'd ever seen him onct would never forget him.”
“What do you want to see Aiken for?” asked the cowboy Sibert.
“I want to face him, and tell him I never harmed his wife.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm innocent, that's all.”
“Suppose we send for Aiken an' he hears you an' doesn't believe you; what then?”
“If he won't believe me—why, then my case's so bad—I'd be better off dead.”
A momentary silence was broken by Sibert.
“If this isn't a queer deal! Boys, reckon we'd better send for Jeff.”