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Show -243 and self-confident, but it fell short. He was not a man of character, I thought, listening to .him, but only a performer. Like Emerson's tree he was nothing but a mask. I watched Morgan in the kitchen putting away the food. "Why didn't you want to talk to Jacob?" I said. "He's the head of the family now." "Never mind," Brady said. "I have serious news: we• found the rifle that killed your father." "I knew it." The words came out before I could stop myself. My heart swung slowly inside the cage of my ribs like a suspended iron ball. The wire that ball hung from was anchored in my throat and it pulled down and down until I thought something would stretch and snap. "What do you mean you knew it?" "I just meant that I knew all along you'd solve the case. Nobody can fool you for long, can they?" "What's the matter with you?" Brady said suspiciously. "Anyway we're not absolutely certain it's the right rifle. I fired a couple of rounds and sent the bullets up to Portland; our equipment here in town is pretty basic. Between you and me, though, I have reason to think it looks good." He adopted a more casual tone. "One thing is a little peculiar-I thought you might explain it." "What's that?" "I don't think we ought to talk about it over the |
