"Well, I'll tell ye," began Creede circumstantially. "Me and Ben Reavis and a couple of the boys had gone over toward the Pocket to catch up our horses. They turned back on us and finally we run 'em into that big _redondo_ up in the middle fork. I reckon we was ridin' back and forth half an hour out there gittin' 'em stopped, and we never heard a peep out of this Mexican, but jest as we got our _remuda_ quieted down and was edgin' in to rope out the ones we wanted, here comes a big band of wild horses that the other boys had scared up over behind the Peaks, roaring down the canyon and into us. Of course, there was nothin' for it then but to git out of the way and let 'em pass, and we did it, dam' quick. Well, sir, that bunch of wild horses went by us like the mill tails of hell, and of course our _remuda_ stompeded after 'em and the whole outfit went bilin' through the box canyon, where it turned out Juan Alvarez had been hidin' his sheep. That's all I know about it." "Well, did you have any trouble of any kind with this deceased Mexican, Mr. Creede? Of course you don't need to answer that if it will incriminate you, but I just wanted to know, you understand." "Oh, that's all right," responded the cowman, waving the suggestion aside with airy unconcern. "This is the first I've heard of any killin', but bein' as you're an officer I might as well come through with what I know. I don't deny for a minute that I've had trouble with Juan. I had a fist fight with him a couple of years ago, and I licked him, too--but seein' him up on that ledge of rocks when I rode through after my horses was certainly one of the big surprises of my life." "Uh, you was surprised, was ye?" snarled Swope, who had been glowering at him malignantly through his long recital. "Mebbe--" "Yes, I was surprised!" retorted Creede angrily. "And I was like the man that received the gold-headed cane--I was _pleased_, too, if that's what you're drivin' at. I don't doubt you and Jasp sent that dam' Greaser in there to sheep us out, and if he got killed you've got yourself to thank for it. He had no business in there, in the first place, and in the second place, I gave you fair warnin' to keep 'im out." "You hear that, Mr. Officer?" cried the sheepman. "He admits making threats against the deceased; he--" "Just a moment, just a moment, Mr. Swope," interposed the deputy sheriff pacifically. "Did you have any words with this Juan Alvarez, Mr. Creede, when you saw him in the canyon? Any trouble of any kind?" "No, we didn't have what you might call trouble--that is, nothin' serious." "Well, just what words passed between you? This gentleman here is the coroner; we've got the body down at the ranch house, and we may want to suppeenie you for the inquest."