“That’s all right, Hobe,” Tony smiled. “Maybe some time he find out my people have pretty damn good memory. What he thinks, I don’t care. But for you, Hobe: last Monday I was on the North Fork. Evening time I come down to the river. Theese man be there. He have plenty hair on hees face then. Big whiskers. He spik Spanish. Ask lots of question. Me, I ask some, too. He come long ways theese man.” “You find out his name?” “Tony Madeiras don’ ask man hees name.” “Good for you, Tony,” Johnny called. “It ain’t bein’ done.” Gallup turned on Johnny with face flaming. “If I hear any more talk from you, out you go. This is your crowd, but the law is the law, and I ain’t goin’ to stand no impudence from you.” Doc Ritter and Jackson Kent came in as Gallup admonished Johnny. The coroner nodded to Kent. “Maybe you can put some sense into him,” he said, pointing to Johnny Dice. “What’s the matter, Johnny?” asked Kent. “We just heard a man had killed himself up here.” “Nothin’ the matter with me. Gallup’s runnin’ things here. And he ain’t makin’ no hit with it, either. Hobe had to call him a minute ago.” “Mr. Gallup’s a good man, boys. Don’t rear and tear too much. Jest what is wrong, Aaron?” When Gallup had finished explaining; the Diamond-Bar owner did his best to restore harmony. “Now you go on, Tony, and tell the coroner what you know,” he said, pleadingly. “We don’t want no run-in with the law.” “That’s sense,” Gallup seconded. “If you saw this man, and talked with him, tell us what he said.” “Well, he say—er—he say——” Johnny Dice was coughing so violently that Tony could not go on. The Basque turned on his pal questioningly. Johnny was bent nearly double; but Tony caught the wink and the slight shake of the head which were meant for him. He started to speak again: “Well, he say how ees the cattle? How ees the water? How ees the sheep? How ees——” “I don’t care about that,” Gallup growled. “Did he say anythin’ that has any bearin’ on this case? We ain’t interested in anythin’ else.” “No—I guess not. All he say ees how ees these, how ees that?” “Then all this talk’s been for nothin’. What do you say, men? Are you satisfied it’s suicide or not? Raise your hands if you are.” Tony saw that Johnny was telling him to say yes. When the Basque’s hand went up, Gallup turned to Doc Ritter. “Here’s your papers, doc. Take the body any time you want to.” Aaron scrawled his signature and handed the certificate to the town’s doctor and undertaker. Gallup read aloud: “Party unknown. Died this 4th of October by his own hand; no reason given. The foregoing being the sworn verdict of the jury convened by me on this day and date. “(Signed) Aaron Gallup, “Coroner of Shoshone County, State of Nevada.” Aaron paused to glance at his listeners. “There it is, gentlemen; in _my_ own hand.” He smiled superiorly. “Somebody count the man’s money and we’ll adjourn.”