"I wouldn't worry about that none if I was you," said the jailer. "I know Garfield, and I know old Pete Harkey, and he was taking the lead. If Adam's horse came down the cañon after you did, he'll know it. And if your track and the other were carefully ridden out where they crossed--why, old Pete will see that, too." Johnny raised his hand. "That's what he will see! Hold that idea tight--squeeze it! If I am innocent, those tracks were ridden out and spoiled, till Adam Forbes' horse went one way and mine another." "Well, then--Pete Harkey'll see that, too; he will think about it once and twice. Don't you worry. Jerome Martin and Jim-Ike-Jones went along, too, and old man Fenderson, maybe. They'll see. That's what they're going for." "Hearsay evidence is no good in court. So I'm going to prophesy in writing--with you to witness and swear to the time of it--that all tracks this side of the murdered man are muddled. That written prophecy may not be evidence, but it will make the judge scratch his head." "As much as to say--" "Exactly. Someone killed Adam Forbes. You don't want to forget that. If it wasn't me--who was it? Well, let me tell you something. It was a mean man. Now you keep still a little, while I think over the meanest man I've seen lately." Johnny rolled another smoke; and when it was alight he spoke again. "Curious, when we come to think of it, but the meanest things a man can do is what he does with his mouth. To kiss and tell, for instance; betrayal under trust. We go to church and hear about the crucifixion. We have no hatred for the hands that drove the nails or the soldier who stood guard--scarcely for the fanatics who hounded the innocent to a shameful death. Our loathing is for Judas Iscariot, who betrayed with a kiss." Gwinne eyed his captive benevolently. "Good land of Goshen, son--what on earth has all this got to do with the price of hemp?" "Everything to do with it. Demand for hemp is going to fluctuate violently if I can swing the deal I have in mind," replied Johnny, with spirit. "I was just thinking about two traitors I know." In a prolonged silence Mr. Gwinne rumpled his beard and refilled his pipe. "The two Garfield men and the other three did not seem to be agreeing very well," he said at last. "Lull--he's the one who arrested you--he went back to Garfield last night. Couldn't sleep, he said, and they'd be wanting to know in Garfield. The other one, See, the least one, he was round here soon this morning wanting to talk it up with you. He was real feverish about the quarantine." Johnny cocked his head impishly and looked sidelong at the jailer. "Just what was the big idea for sending one man to arrest me?" "They didn't say." "And why were they all crosswise with each other, like jackstraws?" "They didn't tell me that either." "You're allowed three guesses." Gwinne puffed unhurriedly at his pipe, and after some meditation delivered himself of a leisurely statement between puffs.