Part 38 (1/2)
”You don't know,” admitted Billy. ”That's the worst of it. But you will know. Yeah, you will know.”
”I intend to look into your side of the case very closely, Wingo,”
declared the district attorney. ”It may be that everything has not yet been told.”
”There is more in this than meets the eye,” nodded Billy.
”Considerable more.”
”If you persist in holding this man for a hearing,” said Rale impressively, ”it may--will, I should say--involve you. I'd hate to see you get into trouble.”
”I'll bet you would,” Billy concurred warmly. ”You'd hate it like you do your left eye. But I'm gonna gamble with you. I'll hold the man till the judge decides what to do.”
”In that case, I'll send for Judge Clasp at once.”
”Why Judge Clasp? Why bother that old gent?”
”Because Driver's dead,” the district attorney explained impatiently.
”We have to have a judge to hold the hearing.”
”Oh, I know all about that. I've sent for one.”
”Who?”
”Judge Donelson.”
”But he's the Federal judge, and he lives way over in Hillsville,”
objected Rale. ”Judge Clasp is nearer. In a case of this kind when the judge of a district is unavailable, the nearest judge takes over the district. The statutes----”
”The statutes say 'any judge,'” interrupted Billy Wingo. ”On this point I am quite clear. I looked it up to make sure. 'Any judge'
means 'any judge.' Nothing else. And you know that Judge Donelson is a territorial as well as Federal Judge. Technicalities can't pull your wagon out of this hole, Arthur, old settler.”
”I shall send for Judge Clasp at once,” b.u.mbled Arthur, old settler.
”If you send right away, he should be here by day after to-morrow.
Yep, day after to-morrow at the earliest.”
”Judge Donelson can't get here till the day after that,” said Rale triumphantly.
”Oh, he can't, can't he?” smiled Billy. ”Unless he has an accident he'll be here to-morrow. You see, Arthur, I started Riley Tyler off to Hillsville ten minutes after I arrested Slike. That's why I'm gamblin'
that Judge Donelson will get here first.”
The district attorney openly lost his temper. ”I don't regard the evidence as given sufficient for indictment. I shall ask the judge not to hold him.”
”Don't do anything rash, Arthur. Remember the hearing will be at the Walton ranch to-morrow afternoon.”
”The Walton ranch! It'll be held here in Driver's office, that's where it will be held.”
”Not a-tall. I want Judge Donelson to see the layout. Then he'll be able to tell better what's what. The Walton ranch to-morrow afternoon.
Don't forget.”