The long duel of silence was at an end.
XIV
"What might your name be?" inquired Samuels.
"Orde."
"I heerd of you ... what might you be doing up here?"
"I'm just riding through."
"Best thing any of you can do," commented the old man grimly.
"I wish you'd tell me now why you jumped on me so this evening," said
Bob.
"If you don't know, you're a fool," growled Samuels.
"I've knocked around a good deal," persisted Bob, "and I've discovered
that one side always sounds good until you hear the other man's story.
I've only heard one side of this one."
"And that's all you're like to hear," Samuels told him. "You don't get
no evidence out of me against myself."
Bob laughed.
"You're mighty suspicious--and I don't know as I blame you. Bless your
soul, what evidence do you suppose I could get from you in a case like
this? You've already made it clear enough with that old blunderbuss of
yours what you think of the merits of the case. I asked you out of
personal interest. I know the Government claims you don't own this
place; and I was curious to know why you think you do.
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