most incredulously.

Jim shrugged. All eyes were upon him, silently echoing their leader's
question.

"Why not?" he said. "I hadn't killed him. Besides, what else was there
to do? The evidence was damning anyway. And I sure couldn't run away.
I guessed I'd best trust to circumstances. Y'see my last words to Mrs.
Henderson were a threat to kill her husband--if he'd killed Elia."

The doctor shook his head.

"Them things sure may have influenced you, but----"

"I think I can tell you."

Doc Crombie turned at the interruption. It was Eve who spoke. Her eyes
were shining, and she looked fearlessly into his face.

"Yes," she cried, with rising emotion, "I think I can see the rest. It
was to shield Elia, and, shielding him, to save me from pain and the
disgrace which he knew I was too cowardly to face. He did it as he did
that other thing, when he set out to carry a warning to Will, simply
to help me, and save me from my troubles. Oh, doctor, haven't you
heard and seen sufficient? Must you stand here demanding all the
inmost secrets and motives of two people's lives? Let us go. Let Jim
go. I have yet to bury my dead."

The woman suddenly turned to Peter and buried her face against his
rough flannel shirt, while the long-pent tears at last broke forth,
and her body shook with sobs. Peter put his arm about her shoulders
and patted her gently with his great rough hand.

"This thing is played right out, Doc," he said. "You've got the facts.
Let them be sufficient." He turned to the boys, and his great kindly
face was lit with something like a derisive smile. "Do you want a
hanging, lads?" he asked them. "Because, out of all this racket, it
seems to me there's only one needs the rope, an' that's Smallbones."

He needed no other answer than the harsh laugh which greeted his
words. He had done it purposely. He meant to clip Smallbones' wings
for him, and, at the same time, put an end to the scene for Eve and
his friend.

His success was ample. Doc Crombie walked straight up to Jim Thorpe
and held out his hand.

"I'm sorry for things, Jim," he said, "but you can't rightly blame us.
Not even Smallbones."

Jim wrung his hand cordially, but silently. His eyes were still on Eve
at Peter's side. The doctor saw his look and understood.

"Guess I'm gettin' right back to the city," he said. "And," he added,
authoritatively, "I guess all you'se folks had best git busy that way,
too." Then he turned sharply and walked over to