"I asked you a question."
"And I asked you one. Did you ever cross that way?"
"No." Put on the defensive, Callahan sulked.
"Try it," Al advised shortly. "It's a right smart hop. There's places
back in there where you couldn't hear a cannon fired in Coon Valley."
"Look, Al," Loring Blade pleaded, "I'll ask you again to tell your
straight story. I'm sure there has to be more to it than this. I know
you too well to think you'd shoot Delbert or anyone else down in cold
blood. Won't you help me to help you?"
Al said doggedly, "I've told my story. Seems like there's an easy way to
settle this whole works."
"What is it?"
"Delbert ain't dead. When he talks, he'll tell who shot him."
"There's no guarantee that Delbert will ever talk."