What's life worth?

No one in Big Neck would have given a nickel for the life of the hard - faced, defiant young man who was arraigned in county court on the charge of murder of “Big Steve” Laramie, the lumberman. At least, that was what almost everyone said, when they heard the story of how he had refused to give any account of himself and his movements on the night that Laramie was shot, had given a name which was palpably false, had refused even to have an attorney.