CHAPTER XX
LOOSE THREADS
Curly was right when he said that those who knew about Sam's share in theplanning of the Tin Cup hold-up would keep their mouths closed. All of themen implicated in the robbery were dead except Dutch. Cullison used hisinfluence to get the man a light sentence, for he knew that he was not acriminal at heart. In return Dutch went down the line without so much asbreathing Sam's name.
Luck saw to it that Curly got all the credit of frustrating the outlaws intheir attempt on the Flyer and of capturing them afterward. In the storyof the rescue of Kate he played up Flandrau's part in the pursuit at theexpense of the other riders. For September was at hand and the young manneeded all the prestige he could get. The district attorney had no choicebut to go on with the case of the State versus Flandrau on a charge ofrustling horses from the Bar Double M. But public sentiment was almost aunit in favor of the defendant.
The evidence of the prosecution was not so strong as it had been. All ofhis accomplices were dead and one of the men implicated had given it outin his last moments that the young man was not a party to the crime. Theman who had owned the feed corral had sold out and gone to Colorado. Thehotel clerk would not swear positively that the prisoner was the man hehad seen with the other rustlers.
Curly had one important asset no jury could forget. It counted for a gooddeal that Alec Flandrau, Billy Mackenzie, and Luck Cullison were known tobe backing him, but it was worth much more that his wife of a week satbeside him in the courtroom. Every time they looked at the prisoner thejurymen saw too her dusky gallant little head and slender figure. Theyremembered the terrible experience through which she had so recentlypassed. She had come through it to happiness. Every look and motion of thegirl wife radiated love for the young scamp who had won her. And sincethey were tender-hearted old frontiersmen they did not intend to spoil herjoy. Moreover, society could afford to take chances with this young fellowFlandrau. He had been wild no doubt, but he had shown since the real stuffthat was in him. Long before they left the box each member of the juryknew that he was going to vote for acquittal.
It took the jury only one ballot to find a verdict of not guilty. Thejudge did not attempt to stop the uproar of glad cheers that shook thebuilding when the decision was read. He knew it was not the prisoner somuch they were cheering as the brave girl who had sat so pluckily forthree days beside the husband she had made a man.
From the courtroom Curly walked out under the blue sky of Arizona a freeman. But he knew that the best of his good fortune was that he did not goalone. For all the rest of their lives her firm little steps would movebeside him to keep him true and steady. He could not go wrong now, for hewas anchored to a responsibility that was a continual joy and wonder tohim.
The End
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