At the most he believed Marshall was shielding Gilmore from the consequences of a crime the gambler had committed.
Montgomery, sinister and menacing, shuffled across the room and then back to the judge's side.
"You ask Marsh, boss, what it all means.

I got nothin' more to say! Ask him who killed old man McBride! If he don't know, no man on this green earth does!" The judge's face twitched convulsively, but he made no answer to this.
"Ask him!" repeated the handy-man, and swinging awkwardly on his heel went from the room without a single backward glance.
An instant later the street-door closed with a noisy bang..