"Um!... Got a hoss out here. Want you should both come and look her
over." He raised himself to his feet, and was followed by Jed Briggs and
his wife to the fence.

"Likely mare," said Scattergood, blandly.

Startlingly Mrs. Briggs laughed, shrilly, unpleasantly, as a woman
laughs in great fear.

"Gawd!" said Jed Briggs, "it's--"

"Yes," said Scattergood, gently. "It's Asa Levens's mare. Was she here
last Tuesday?"

"She was here Tuesday, Scattergood Baines," said Jed Briggs. "What's the
meanin' of this?"

"I knowed she was somewheres Tuesday," Scattergood said, impersonally.
"Didn't know where, but I mistrusted she'd been to that place frequent.
Jest got in and give her her head. She brought me.... Asa Levens is
dead."

"Dead!" said Jed Briggs in a hushed voice.

"He deserved to die.... He deserved to die.... He deserved to die ..."
the young woman repeated shrilly, hysterically.

"Was you in town to lodge Tuesday night, Jed?"

"Yes."