.

"They say the police was goin' to stop the gamblin' in his rooms if he
hadn't gone when he did."

"Well, I hope he'll catch hell wherever he is!" said Joe, with a sullen
drop to his voice.

"For a while after you left, Joe, they didn't give me no peace at
all--the police and detectives, I mean--they was here every day! And
Shrimplin told me they was puttin' advertisements in the papers all over
the country."

"What for?" inquired Montgomery uneasily.

"They wanted to find out where you'd gone; it seemed like they was
determined to get you back as a witness for the trial," explained
Nellie.

Montgomery's uneasiness increased. He began to wonder fearfully if he
was in any danger, vague forebodings assailed him. Suppose he was
pinched and sent up. His face blanched and his small blue eyes slid
around in their sockets. Nellie was evidently unaware of the feeling of
terror her words had inspired, for she continued:

"But it didn't make no difference in the end that you wasn't here, for
everybody says it was you that hanged John North; you get all the credit
for that!"

Montgomery's hands fell at his side.

"Me hanged John North! _Me hanged John North!_" he repeated. "But he
ain't hanged--God A'mighty, he ain't hanged yet!"

His voice shot up into a wail of horrified protest. Nellie regarded him
with a look of astonishment. She had been rather sorry for young John
North, but she had also felt a certain wifely pride in Joe's connection
with the case.

"No, he ain't hanged yet but he will be in the morning!" she said.

The handy-man sprang to his feet, knocking over the chair in which he
had been seated.

"What's that?" he roared.

"Why, haven't you heard? He's to be hung in the morning."

Joe glared at her with starting eyes.

"What will they do that for--hang him--hang John North!" He tore off his
ragged cap and dashed it to the floor at his feet. "To hell with Andy
Gilmore and to hell with Marsh Langham--that's why they drove me out of
town--to hell with 'em both!" he shouted, and his great chest seemed
bursting with pent-up fury.

"Why, whatever do you mean, Joe?" cried Nellie.

"He never done it--you hear me--and they _know_ it! You sure you got the
straight of this--they are goin' to hang young John North?" He seized
her roughly by the shoulders.

"Yes--how you take on, Joe--"

"Take on!" he shouted. "You'd take on too if you stood in my place.
You're sure you know what you're talkin' about?