ting profusely, turned his back and
pretended to be interested in a picture on the wall.

"I reckon there's somethin' about this case that ain't been brought out
yet, Mrs. Lawler," said Moreton when he was about to depart with his
prisoner. "But things has a way of comin' out, an' I reckon we'll get
Kane out of this before long."

Outside, on their horses, Moreton rode close to Lawler.

"Kane, I reckon it's a damn lie about you killin' Link an' Givens the
way that Wharton woman says you did--in that damned paper--just
malicious, without them deservin' it?"

"Moreton, I told you my side of the story a couple of months ago. It's
the lady's word against mine."

Moreton muttered much to himself during the ride. He told Lawler how
Warden had come to him with the statement--the charge; and of how he
had waited until Della Wharton had personally appeared before him to
corroborate what she had signed.

"She don't want to have her reputation dragged into it," sneered
Moreton. "Well, before it's over she won't have no more reputation than
a coyote! I'll make the thing so damned public that she'll think I've
hired a brass band to blare it all over the country!"

Lawler merely smiled. He might have further increased the sheriff's rage
by showing him the signed confession in his pocket--the confession he
had secured from Link and Givens--but he preferred to keep silent until
he discovered why Della Wharton had brought the charge against him.

There were two possible motives. One was that Della was still in the
grip of the vindictiveness that had characterized her that last day in
the cabin--and had charged him with murder merely to be revenged upon
him; the other was that she had been influenced to the action by Gary
Warden. He intended to keep silent until events explained the motive.
And he smiled faintly at Moreton when the sheriff opened the jail doors
for him--Moreton saying that he "hated like poison to do it."

Two persons had watched Lawler and Moreton ride into town. Warden,
standing in the darkened windows of the Wolf Saloon--deserted by its
revelers shortly before--saw Moreton and Lawler dismount in front of the
jail, which adjoined the sheriff's office. Warden watched until he saw
the two men enter the building--until he saw Moreton come out alone and
enter his office. Then Warden smiled and walked to the door of a room
in the rear of the saloon, where Singleton and several other men were
playing cards. He wink