nduct cases, that kinda thing. We
turned them out so's we could make some repairs."

"You turned them out because you expected to have to defend the jail;
because you knew in advance that these three would be along claiming
sanctuary, and that Colonel Hickock's ranch hands would be right on
their heels, didn't you?" I demanded.

It took a good five minutes before Sidney stopped shouting long enough
for Judge Nelson to sustain the objection.

"You knew these young men all their lives, I take it. What did you know
about their financial circumstances, for instance?"

"Well, they've been ground down an' kept poor by the big ranchers an'
the money-guys...."

"Then weren't you surprised to see them driving such an expensive
aircar?"

"I don't know as it's such an expensive--" he shut his mouth suddenly.

"You know where they got the money to buy that car?" I pressed.

Kettle-Belly Sam didn't answer.

"From the man who paid them to murder Ambassador Silas Cumshaw?" I kept
pressing. "Do you know how much they were paid for that job? Do you know
where the money came from? Do you know who the go-between was, and how
much he got, and how much he kept for himself? Was it the same source
that paid for the recent attempt on President Hutchinson's life?"

"I refuse to answer!" the witness declared, trying to shove his chest
out about half as far as his midriff. "On the grounds that it might
incriminate or degrade me!"

"You can't degrade a Bonney!" a voice from the balcony put in.

"So then," I replied to the voice, "what he means is, incriminate." I
turned to the witness. "That will be all. Excused."

As Bonney left the stand and was led out the side door, Goodham
addressed the bench.

"Now, Your Honor," he said, "I believe that the prosecution has
succeeded in definitely establishing that these three defendants
actually did fire the shot which, on April 22, 2193, deprived Silas
Cumshaw of his life. We will now undertake to prove...."

Followed a long succession of witnesses, each testifying to some public
or private act of philanthropy, some noble trait of character. It was
the sort of thing which the defense lawyer in the Whately case had been
so willing to stipulate. Sidney, of course, tried to make it all out to
be part of a sinister conspiracy to establish a Solar League fifth
column on New Texas. Finally, the prosecution rested its case.

I entertained Gail and her father at the Embassy, that evening. The
st