Kirby drew up a chair and seated himself. "When Uncle James sent a
messenger for you to come to his rooms at once on the evening of the
twenty-first, what did he want to tell you?" The steady eyes of the
cattleman bored straight into those of Cunningham.

"Who said he sent a messenger for me?"

"It doesn't matter who just now. There are two witnesses. What did he
want?"

"That's my business."

"So you say. I'm beginnin' to wonder if it isn't the business of the
State of Colorado, too."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that Uncle sent for you because he had just found out your
brother and Miss Harriman were married."

Jack flashed a startled look at him. It seemed to him his cousin
showed an uncanny knowledge at times. "You think so."

"He wanted to tell you that he was goin' to cut your brother out of his
will an' leave you sole heir. An' he wanted you to let James know it
right away."

Kirby was guessing, but he judged he had scored. Jack got up and began
to pace the room. He was plainly agitated.

"Look here. Why don't you go back to Wyoming and mind your own
business? You're not in this. It's none of your affair. What are you
staying here for hounding the life out of James and me?"

"None of my business! That's good, Jack. An' me out on bond charged
with the murder of Uncle James. I'd say it was quite some of my
business. I'm gonna stick to the job. Make up your mind to that."

"Then leave us alone," retorted Jack irritably. "You act as though you
thought we were a pair of murderers."

"If you have nothin' to conceal, why do you block anyway? Why aren't
you frank an' open? Why did you steal that record at Golden? Why did
James lose the Jap's confession--if it was a confession? Why did he
get Miss McLean to disappear? Answer those questions to my
satisfaction before you talk about me buttin' in with suspicions
against you."

Jack slammed a fist down on the corner of the desk. "I'm not going to
answer any questions! I'll say you've got a nerve! You're the man
charged with this crime--the man that's liable to be tried for it.
You've got a rope round your neck right this minute--and you go around
high and mighty trying to throw suspicion on men that there's no
evidence against."

"You said you had a quarrel with your uncle that night--no, I believe
you called it a difference of opinion, at the inquest. What was that
disagreement about?"

"Find out! I'll never tell you."