His face still white, Barr stepped back. He jerked his rifle to
shooting position and lowered it reluctantly. Tense as stretched
buckskin, he studied Jeff and snapped, "Say those words ag'in!"
"Johnny Blazer not only had no gun when he was shot, but whoever shot
him was hiding when he did it!" Jeff pronounced each word very slowly
and very clearly, as though he were rehearsing a careful speech.
"How d'ye know he lacked aught to shoot back?"
"I--" Jeff thought of Bill Ellis and caught himself in time. "I saw
someone who found him on my Ackerton trip. Johnny had no gun when they
picked him up."
"Shut up!" Barr whirled furiously on his cousin who had started to
speak. He said, more to himself than to anyone else, "Blazer's guns
_was_ found in his cabin."
Jeff laughed tauntingly. "You hillbillies are brave men! Now all you
have to do is admit that whoever shot Johnny was hiding in the brush."