Part 10 (1/2)
”How do you know he fell there?”
Loring Blade shrugged again. ”He laid a while before he started to drag himself out. There was plenty of evidence.”
”Now here's a point, Lorin'. I've already said I was in c.o.o.n Valley today. Suppose I had my pouch, couldn't I have lost it when I pa.s.sed the sycamores?”
”You could have.”
”What time did you go up c.o.o.n Valley?” Jack Callahan broke in.
”'Twas before eight. I started early.”
”Then you crossed back to the Fordham Road?”
”Don't try to snarl my words up,” Al warned. ”I've already said that I went up c.o.o.n Valley to its head and crossed back of Burned Mountain to the Fordham Road.”
”But you heard no shooting?”
Al seemed a little contemptuous. ”You ever make that crossin'?”
”I asked you a question.”
”And I asked you one. Did you ever cross that way?”
”No.” Put on the defensive, Callahan sulked.
”Try it,” Al advised shortly. ”It's a right smart hop. There's places back in there where you couldn't hear a cannon fired in c.o.o.n Valley.”
”Look, Al,” Loring Blade pleaded, ”I'll ask you again to tell your straight story. I'm sure there has to be more to it than this. I know you too well to think you'd shoot Delbert or anyone else down in cold blood. Won't you help me to help you?”
Al said doggedly, ”I've told my story. Seems like there's an easy way to settle this whole works.”
”What is it?”
”Delbert ain't dead. When he talks, he'll tell who shot him.”
”There's no guarantee that Delbert will ever talk.”
Jack Callahan said, ”I'm afraid I'll have to take you in, Al.”
”On what grounds?”
”Suspicion. If Delbert lives, the charge will be a.s.sault with a deadly weapon. If he dies--” Callahan shrugged.
Al looked aside, and the fierce storms that could rage in his usually gentle eyes were raging now. Ted s.h.i.+vered, and then Al calmed.
”All right, Jack. If that's the way it must be.”
”You won't resist?”
”I promise I won't raise a hand against you or Lorin'.”