No
matter how she took it, you fellows would wag your heads and say
'Guilty.'"

Hanlon looked uneasily at Hilda, fearing she would draw encouragement
from Wharton's words. But Hilda was still moaning. "Lift her up and
set her in a chair," he said to Casey.

Hilda recovered herself somewhat and sat before the captain, her eyes
down, her fluttering hands loose in her lap. "What was the trouble
between you and him?" Hanlon asked her presently in a not unkindly
tone.

"Must I tell?" pleaded Hilda, looking piteously at the captain. "I
don't know anything about this except that he came into our store and
told me he was going to--to--"

She looked at Feuerstein's dead face and shivered. And as she looked,
memories flooded her, drowning resentment and fear. She rose, went
slowly up to him; she laid her hand softly upon his brow, pushed back
his long, yellow hair. The touch of her fingers seemed to smooth the
wild, horrible look from his features. As she gazed down at him the
tears welled into her eyes. "I won't talk against him," she said
simply. "He's dead--it's all over and past."

"She ought to go on the stage," growled Casey.

But Wharton said in an unsteady voice, "That's right, Miss. They can't
force you to talk. Don't say a word until you get a lawyer."

Hanlon gave him a furious look. "Don't you meddle in this," he said
threateningly.

Wharton laughed. "The man killed himself," he replied. "I can tell by
the slant of the wound. And I don't propose to stand by and see you
giving your third degree to this little girl."

"We've got the proof, I tell you," said Hanlon. "We've got a witness
who saw her do it--or at least saw her here when she says she wasn't
here."

Wharton shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't say a word," he said to Hilda. "Get a lawyer."

"I don't want a lawyer," she answered.

"I'm not guilty. Why should I get a lawyer?"

"Well, at any rate, do all your talking in court. These fellows will
twist everything you say."

"Take her to the station house," interrupted Hanlon.

"But I'm innocent," said Hilda, clasping her hands on her heart and
looking appealingly at the captain.

"Take her along, Casey."

Casey laid hold of her arm, but she shook him off. They went through
the sitting-room of the saloon and out at the side door. When Hilda saw
the great crowd she covered her face with her hands and shrank back.
"There she is! There she is! They're taking her to the statio