Part 55 (1/2)
He led Joe to one of the log buildings and stood aside to let him enter.
With a disarming grin, Ellis entered too. Joe looked at the man who sat behind the desk.
Major Dismuke was perhaps forty-five, and his was the bearing that only a lifetime of soldiering can impart. His hair was short, graying at the temples, and it surmounted a face that seemed chiseled out of solid granite. Cool eyes appraised Joe and Ellis, but never for a second was there any departure from military briskness or any indication that the taut mouth could smile. Major Dismuke was a good and efficient officer but he was also a stern one. He knew all the regulations by heart and he enforced them as they were written.
”Mr. Tower?”
”Yes.”
Major Dismuke leaned forward on the desk and rested his chin lightly in his right hand. ”You have an army mule in your possession?”
”Guess you're right.”
”You guess? Don't you know?”
”We have one.”
”Where did you get it?”
”From a couple of trappers.”
”_Where_ did you get it?”
”Maybe sixty miles down the Trail.”
”Describe the trappers.”
Briefly Joe described the two men while the officer listened. He looked searchingly at Joe.
”Did you know, when you received this animal, that it was army property?”
”Yes.”
”Did you know also that the army isn't selling any mules?”
”I did.”
”Therefore you knew that this one was stolen from the army?”
”I had that idea.”
”Why did you take the mule?”
Joe's anger flared. ”Blast it, man! I lost a mule and had to have another! What did you think we'd do? Sit there?”
”Control your temper, Mr. Tower. If you knew these two men were thieves, why did you not take them into custody?”
”It was none of my business. I'm no law officer.”
”Do you have proof that what you've said is true?”