, this man renewed
his attentions and Mr. Paynter struck him. Both of them were drunk.
After that it all happened so quickly that I could scarcely follow it.
The man called Oskaloosa Kid drew a revolver but did not fire, instead
he seized Mr. Paynter by the coat and whirled him around and then he
struck him an awful blow behind the ear with the butt of the weapon.

"After that the other two men seemed quite sobered. They discussed what
would be the best thing to do and at last decided to throw Mr. Paynter's
body out of the machine, for it was quite evident that he was dead.
First they rifled his pockets, and joked as they did it, one of them
saying that they weren't getting as much as they had planned on; but
that a little was better than nothing. They took his watch, jewelry,
and a large roll of bills. We passed around the east side of Oakdale and
came back into the Toledo road. A little way out of town they turned
the machine around and ran back for about half a mile; then they turned
about a second time. I don't know why they did this. They threw the body
out while the machine was moving rapidly; but I was so frightened that
I can't say whether it was before or after they turned about the second
time.

"In front of the old Squibbs place they shot at me and threw me out; but
the bullet missed me. I have not seen them since and do not know where
they went. I am ready and willing to aid in their conviction; but,
please Mr. Prim, won't you keep me from being sent back to Payson or to
jail. I have done nothing criminal and I won't run away."

"How about the robbery of Miss Prim's room and the murder of Old Man
Baggs?" asked Burton. "Did they pull both of those off before they
killed Paynter or after?"

"They had nothing to do with either unless they did them after they
threw me out of the car, which must have been long after midnight,"
replied the girl.

"And the rest of the gang, those that were arrested with you," continued
the detective, "how about them? All angels, I suppose."

"There was only Bridge and the boy they called The Oskaloosa Kid, though
he isn't the same one that murdered poor Mr. Paynter, and the Gypsy
girl, Giova, that were with me. The others were tramps who came into
the old mill and attacked us while we were asleep. I don't know who they
were. The girl could have had nothing to do with any of the crimes. We
came upon her this morning burying her father in the woods back of the
Squibbs' place.