Page:Ritchie - Trails to Two Moons.djvu/176

 They were in the midst of a satisfying breakfast when Red Agnew came in and sat down at the table with them. He had to hear all over again the story of the Killer's capture. He was tremendously pleased.

"Strayman, the district attorney, is going to be mighty tickled over this," he commented, "and I reckon certain people down in Cheyenne who 've been settling lump cash for every stone found on a dead man's forehead are going to hunt cover. We 'll drag a confession out of this Killer which 'll bust the State wide open. We 'll have a whale of a fight on our hands to swing him off a gallows." Then, suddenly linking Hilma with the events that had made the Killer such a fat prize to the law's net: "I need not tell you, ma'am, your dad met his death while doing his duty. He was a good citizen, and I 'm mighty sorry he had to check in because he was serving the law as he saw it his duty to do."

Breakfast finished, a heavy embarrassment fell upon the little company in the cheery room. With the exception of the self-centered Uncle Alf, each was wondering just what the next move would be, how inevitable circumstances would befall. A much-sought-for outlaw