smash! Jim hurt Will bad, an' it
was for me. Say, that's why I feel queer they're goin' to--hang him at
dawn. Somehow, it don't seem good stretchin' Jim's neck. I don't seem
to feel I'd like to see Jim hurted. Must be because he hurted Will fer
me. Will 'ud 'a' killed me, sure, but fer Jim."

His words had become a sort of soliloquy. He had forgotten his sister
for the moment. But now, as she looked up, he remembered.

"You tried to--to save him?" she demanded. "You told them what Will
was doing? You told them how--how it all happened?"

The boy shook his head, and again his eyes lit with malice.

"I ain't been inside the saloon. I--I was scared. Y'see Will wasn't
killed by the blow Jim give him. Guess that on'y jest knocked him out.
Y'see he was killed with Jim's knife--after. Y'see Jim's a fule. After
he'd hit him he fixed his face up with his han'k'chiefs, an' after he
was good an' dead he went fer to leave his knife stickin' in his
chest. That's wher' I helped him some. I took that knife out--an' them
rags. Here they are, right here."

He suddenly produced the blood-stained knife and the handkerchiefs,
and held them out toward her. But the woman shrank away from them.

"I guessed if I took 'em right away no one 'ud know how he come by his
death, an' who did it. Y'see Jim had helped me some."

But Eve was not heeding the explanation.

"Then he did--kill him?" Her question was a low, horrified whisper.

"Ye--es."

"After he had--struck him senseless?"

"Ye--yes."

"I don't believe it. You are lying to me, Elia." The woman's voice was
strident, even harsh.

Elia understood. It was her desire to convince herself of Jim's
innocence that set her accusing him. It was not that she really
disbelieved. Had it been otherwise he would have been afraid. As it
was he gloated over her suffering instead.

"Yes, he's a fule, an' he's sure got to hang," he said mildly. "Guess
it'll be dawn come half an hour. Then they're goin' to take him right
out ther' wher' he killed your Will--an' hang him. Smallbones is goin'
out to find the tree. Say, sis, Smallbones is goin' to get busy
pullin' the rope. I wish it wa'n't Jim, sure I do. I'd sooner it was
Peter, on'y he's goin' to give me that gold. Guess it wouldn't matter
if----"

"They shan't hang him! I don't believe it. I can't believe it. I don't
believe you. Oh, God, this is awful! Elia, say it isn't so; say you
are only----"

"Don't be a fule, sis," the boy cried, b