第56部分(第6/7 頁)

ere。

Next　I　told　them　about　my　visit　to　Trapingus　County。　I'd　been　a　lot　more　frank　with　Rob　McGee　…　I'd　had　no　choice；　really。　To　this　day　I　have　no　idea　what　sort　of　story　he　spun　for　Mr。　Detterick；　but　the　McGee　who　sat　down　next　to　me　in　the　diner　seemed　to　have　aged　seven　years。

In　mid…May；　about　a　month　before　the　holdup　and　the　murders　which　finished　Wharton's　short　career　as　an　outlaw；　Klaus　Detterick　had　painted　his　barn　（and；　incidentally；　Bowser's　doghouse　next　to　it）。　He　hadn't　wanted　his　son　crawling　around　up　on　a　high　scaffolding；　and　the　boy　had　been　in　school；　anyway；　so　he　had　hired　a　fellow。　A　nice　enough　fellow。　Very　quiet。　Three　days；　work　it　had　been。　No；　the　fellow　hadn't　slept　at　the　house；　Detterick　wasn't　foolish　enough　to　believe　that　nice　and　quiet　always　meant　safe；　especially　in　those　days；　when　there　was　so　much　dust…bowl　riffraff　on　the　roads。　A　man　with　a　family　had　to　be　careful。　In　any　case；　the　man　hadn't　needed　lodging；　he　told　Detterick　he　had　taken　a　room　in　town；　at　Eva　Price's。　There　was　a　lady　named　Eva　Price　in　Tefton；　and　she　did　rent　rooms；　but　she　hadn't　had　a　boarder　that　May　who　fit　the　description　of　Detterick's　hired　man；　just　the　usual　fellows　in　checked　suits　and　derby　hats；　hauling　sample　cases　…　drummers；　in　other　words。　McGee　had　been　able　to　tell　me　that　because　he　stopped　at　Mrs。　Price's　and　checked　on　his　way　back　from　the　Detterick　farm　…　that's　how　upset　he　was。

〃Even　so；〃　he　added；　〃there's　no　law　against　a　man　sleeping　rough　in　the　woods；　Mr。　Edgebe。　I've　done　it　a　time　or　two　myself。〃

The　hired　man　didn't　sleep　at　the　Dettericks；　house；　but　he　took　dinner　with　them　twice。　He　would　have　met　Howie。　He　would　have　met　the　girls；　Cora　and　Kathe。　He　would　have　listened　to　their　chatter；