he murderer's been around while he's been
in here. Guess him an' his friend Peter's made it up while I----"

"After I threw you out of here," interjected Peter coldly. "Keep your
tongue easy, or I'll have to handle you again."

But Smallbones' fury got the better of him, and he meant to annoy
Peter all he could.

"Yes, I dessay you would. But you can't blind us like a lot of gophers
with a dogone child's yarn like that. If those things had been there
they'd ha' been there when Will was found by Doc---- Say," he cried,
turning with inspiration upon Jim, "wher's your knife? You mostly
carry one. I see your sheath, but ther' ain't no knife in it."

He pointed at the back of Jim's waist, which was turned toward him.
Every eye that could see the sheath followed the direction of the
accusing finger, and a profound sensation stirred those who beheld.
The sheath was empty.

Smallbones' triumph urged him on.

"Say, an' where's your neck-scarf? You allus wear one, sure. An' mebbe
you ain't got your dandy white han'k'chief. I 'lows you're 'bout the
on'y man in these parts 'cep' Abe Horsley as fancies hisself enough to
wear one. Wher's them things, I ask you? Say," he went on after a
moment's pause, during which Jim still remained silent, "I accuse this
lousy skunk publicly of murderin' Will Henderson. He's convicted
hisself out o' his own mouth, an' he's got the man's blood on his
hands. Jim Thorpe, you killed Will Henderson!"

The little man's fervor, his boldness, his shrewd argument carried his
audience with him, as he stood pointing dramatically at the accused
but unflinching man. Doc Crombie was carried along with the rest even
against his own judgment. Peter Blunt and Angel Gay, with Jake Wilkes,
were the only men present who were left unconvinced. Peter's eyes were
sternly fixed on the beady eyes of Smallbones. Gay, too, in his slow
way, was furious. But Jake would not have believed Jim had committed
the murder even if he had seen him do it, he detested Smallbones so
much.

But everybody was waiting for Jim's reply to the challenge. And it
came amidst a deathly silence. It came with a straightforwardness that
carried conviction to three of his hearers at least, and set the
redoubtable doctor wondering if he were dreaming.

"You're quite right I usually wear all those things you say, but I
haven't got them with me now, because"--he smiled into the little
man's eyes, "the particular articles I spoke of were all min