could have done so. He glanced up as Lite passed
through.

"Hell of a verdict," Lite made brief comment when
he met Carl's eyes.

Carl stopped, leaning against his horse with one
hand thrown up to the saddle-horn. He was a small
man, not at all like Aleck in size or in features. He
looked haggard now and white.

"What do you make of it?" he asked Lite. "Do
you believe--?"

"Of course I don't! Great question for a brother
to ask," Lite retorted sharply. "It's not in Aleck to
do a thing like that."

"What made you say you saw him ride home? You
didn't, did you?"

"You heard what I said; take it or leave it." Lite
scowled down at Carl. "What was there queer about
it? Why--"

"If you'd been inside ten minutes before then,"
Carl told him bluntly, "you'd have heard Aleck say he
came home a full hour or more before you say you saw
him ride in. That's what's queer. What made you
do that? It won't help Aleck none."