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slightly； and in the crack appear the face of the man who had sold the flour。
He was grimacing and beckoning emphatically to one inside； who arose
from near the stove and started to work toward the door。
〃Where are you goin'； Sam？〃 Shunk Wilson demanded。
〃I'll be back in a jiffy；〃 Sam explained。 〃I jes' got to go。〃
Smoke was permitted to question the witnesses； and he was in the
middle of the cross…examination of Harding； when from without came the
whining of dogs in harness； and the grind and churn of sled… runners。
Somebody near the door peeped out。
〃It's Sam an' his pardner an' a dog…team hell…bent down the trail for
Stewart River；〃 the man reported。
Nobody spoke for a long half…minute； but men glanced significantly at
one another； and a general restlessness pervaded the packed room。 Out of
the corner of his eye； Smoke caught a glimpse of Breck； Lucy； and her
husband whispering together。
〃Come on； you；〃 Shunk Wilson said gruffly to Smoke。 〃Cut this
questionin' short。 We know what you're tryin' to provethat the other
bank wasn't searched。 The witness admits it。 We admit it。 It wasn't
necessary。 No tracks led to that bank。 The snow wasn't broke。〃
〃There was a man on the other bank just the same；〃 Smoke insisted。
〃That's too thin for skatin'； young man。 There ain't many of us on the
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McQuestion； an' we got every man accounted for。〃
〃Who was the man you hiked out of camp two weeks ago？〃 Smoke
asked。
〃Alonzo Miramar。 He was a Mexican。 What's that grub…thief got to
do with it？〃
〃Nothing； except that you haven't accounted for HIM； Mr Judge。〃
〃He went down the river； not up。〃
〃How do you know where he went？〃
〃Saw him start。〃
〃And that's all you know of what became of him？〃
〃No； it ain't； young man。 I know； we all know； he had four day's grub
an' no gun to shoot meat with。 If he didn't make the settlement on the
Yukon he'd croaked long before this。〃
〃I suppose you've got all the guns in this part of the country accounted
for； too；〃 Smoke observed pointedly。
Shunk Wilson was angry。
〃You'd think I was the prisoner the way you slam questions into me。
Come on with the next witness。 Where's French Louis？〃
While French Louis was shoving forward； Lucy opened the door。
〃Where you goin'？〃 Shunk Wilson shouted。
〃I reckon I don't have to stay；〃 she answered defiantly。 〃I ain't got no
vote； an' besides my cabin's so jammed up I can't breathe。〃
In a few minutes her husband followed。 The closing of the door was
the first warning the judge received of it。
〃Who was that？〃 he interrupted Pierre's narrative to ask。
〃Bill Peabody；〃 somebody spoke up。 〃Said he wanted to ask his wife
something and was coming right back。〃
Instead of Bill； it was Lucy who re…entered； took off her furs； and
resumed her place by the stove。
〃I reckon we don't need to hear the rest of the witnesses；〃 was Shunk
Wilson's decision； when Pierre had finished。 〃We know they only can
testify to the same facts we've already heard。 Say； Sorensen； you go an'
bring Bill Peabody back。 We'll be votin' a verdict pretty short。 Now；
Stranger； you can get up an' say your say concernin' what happened。 In
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the meantime we'll just be savin' delay by passin' around the two rifles； the
ammunition； an' the bullets that done the killin'。〃
Midway in his story of how he had arrived in that part of the country；
and at the point in his narrative where he described his own ambush and
how he had fled to the bank； Smoke was interrupted by the indignant
Shunk Wilson。
〃Young man； what sense is there in you testifyin' that way？ You're
just takin' up valuable time。 Of course you got the right to lie to save
your neck； but we ain't goin' to stand for such foolishness。 The rifle； the
ammunition； the bullet that killed Joe Kinade is against youWhat's that？
Open the door； somebody！〃
The frost rushed in； taking form and substance in the heat of the room；
while through the open door came the whining of dogs that decreased
rapidly with distance。
〃It's Sorensen an' Peabody；〃 some one cried； 〃a…throwin' the whip into
the dawgs an' headin' down river！〃
〃Now； what the hell！〃 Shunk Wilson paused； with dropped jaw； and
glared at Lucy。 〃I reckon you can explain； Mrs Peabody。〃
She tossed her head and compressed her lips； and Shunk Wilson's
wrathful and suspicious gaze passed on and rested on Breck。
〃An' I reckon that new…comer you've ben chinning with could explain
if HE had a mind to。〃
Breck； now very uncomfortable； found all eyes centred on him。
〃Sam was chewing the rag with him； too； before he hit out；〃 some one
said。
〃Look here； Mr Breck；〃 Shunk Wilson continued。 〃You've ben
interruptin' proceedings； and you got to explain the meanin' of it。 What
was you chinnin' about？〃
Breck cleared his throat timidly and replied。 〃I was just trying to buy
some grub。〃
〃What with？〃
〃Dust； of course。〃
〃Where'd you get it？〃
Breck did not answer。
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〃He's ben snoopin' around up the Stewart；〃 a man volunteered。 〃I run
across his camp a week ago when I was huntin'。 An' I want to tell you he
was almighty secretious about it。〃
〃The dust didn't come from there；〃 Breck said。 〃That's only a low…
grade hydraulic proposition。〃
〃Bring your poke here an' let's see your dust；〃 Wilson commanded。
〃I tell you it didn't come from there。〃
〃Let's see it just the same。〃
Breck made as if to refuse； but all about him were menacing faces。
Reluctantly； he fumbled in his coat pocket。 In the act of drawing forth a
pepper can； it rattled against what was evidently a hard object。
〃Fetch it all out！〃 Shunk Wilson thundered。
And out came the big nugget；