He stared out the window a little while before he spoke. He asked:

“What made you think I’d give you the lift? Do I owe you anything for what you done to me at Willsson’s last night?”

I said:

“I didn’t hurt you any. The news was half-out anyhow. Whisper knew enough to guess the rest. I only gave you a showdown. What do you care? You can take care of yourself.”

“I aim to try,” he agreed. “All right. You was at the Tanner House in Tanner. That’s a little burg twenty-thirty miles up the hill. You went up there after you left Willsson’s and stayed till morning. A guy named Ricker that hangs around Murry’s with a hire heap drove you up and back. You ought to know what you was doing up there. Give me your sig and I’ll have it put on the register.”

“Thanks,” I said as I unscrewed my fountain pen.