ment he hesitated, then made up his mind swiftly. "Yes," he
told her gravely.

She winced. "You couldn't help it. How did you come to be there?"

"I just dropped in."

"Alone?"

"Yes."

He had burned the bridges behind him and was lying glibly. Why bring
Bromfield into it? She was going to marry him in a few days. If her
fiance was man enough to come forward and tell the truth he would do so
anyhow. It was up to him. Clay was not going to betray him to
Beatrice.

"The paper says there was some one with you."

"Sho! Reporters sure enough have lively imaginations."

"Johnnie told me you had an engagement with Mr. Bromfield."

"Did you ever know Johnnie get anything right?"

"And Clarendon says he was with you at Maddock's."

Clay had not been prepared for this cumulative evidence. He gave a low
laugh of relief. "I'm an awful poor liar. So Bromfield says he was
with me, does he?"

"Yes."

He intended to wait for a lead before showing his hand. "Then you know
all about it?" he asked carelessly.

Their eyes were on each other, keen and watchful. She knew he was
concealing something of importance. He had meant not to tell her that
Bromfield had been with him. Why? To protect the man to whom she was
engaged. She jumped to the conclusion that he was still shielding him.

"Yes, you're a poor liar, Clay," she agreed. "You stayed to keep back
Collins so as to give Clarendon a chance to escape."

"Did I?"

"Can you deny it? Clarendon heard the shots as he was running
downstairs."

"He told you that, did he?"

"Yes."

"That ought to help a lot. If I can prove Collins was shootin' at me I
can plead self-defense."

"That's what it was, of course."

"Yes. But Durand doesn't mean to let it go at that. He was here to
see me this mo'nin'." Clay turned to the mining man, his voice low but
incisive. His brain was working clear and fast. "Mr. Whitford, I have
a hunch he's going to destroy the evidence that's in my favor. There
must be two bullet holes in the partition of the rear room where
Collins was killed. See if you can't find those bullet holes and the
bullets in the wall behind."

"I'll do that, Lindsay."

"And hire me a good lawyer. Send him to me. I won't use a smart one
whose business is to help crooks escape. If he doesn't believe in me,
I don't want him. I'll have him get the names of all those pulled in
the raid and visit them to see if he can't find some one who