Whereupon Clyde merely stared, greatly heartened by
thisunexpected aid. Well, that wasnt how they testified here. No, I wasnt hungry,
replied Clyde, simply. A very satisfactory explanation, Im sure, went on
Mason,sarcastically.
You cant play fast and loose with law, however
muchyou may have lied to me.
You heard the testimony of Rufus Martin,the second
cook up there at Bear Lake?
Well, maybe as she saw it it couldnt, evaded Clyde.
He could not deny that he was with her and thathe wanted to be with her. And while
you were still so enraptured with Miss X? A very satisfactory explanation, Im sure,
went on Mason,sarcastically. Wouldnt she be nearer the boat than he
was?
At the Cranston Lodge on Twelfth Lake, I
think.
And while you were still so enraptured with Miss
X?
Cant you tell from reading that item there whether
it is or not? Were not going to need it for a little while anyhow.
It was not thirty-five cents an hour, but fifty
cents.
Now just what do yousuppose, she meant by that word
respectable?
But you did notice that it was south of Big
Bittern?
And at once he was on his guard, and looking in
thedirection of Jephson.
Well, they were telling the truth as near as they
could remember,I suppose. It is purely an argumentative oneand has no real bearing
on the facts in this case. And you know that these in this camera are,dont
you?
Just the same, thats the way it was, replied
Clyde.
Yet continuing relations with Miss Alden when your
other interestsleft you any time.
A mental and moral coward, sneered
Mason.
Even when you were kissing her and holding her in
your arms?
Well, I may have seen it, replied Clyde, but if so
I didnt payany attention to it.
Well, now, after that boat turned over and you both
came up, wherewere you in relation to IT? Before Belknap could object, Clyde shot
back the proper answer. Youve often touched her hairin real life.
And forthwith the four deputies carried it
out.
Could you imagine such stuffbeing whimpered before
a jury, if you hadnt heard it with your ownears? And then it was that you went
downstairs and got them? And a perfectly good boat, strong enough to hold three or
four up,within fifteen or twenty feet!