Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1888-06-07
CHAPTER K.

AN UNEASY CONSCIENCE.
A faint smile dawned on the lip of LYMAN
Childcr. He looked straight back into his
companions eyes without speaking It was
the latter who began to twist and redden
uncomfortably
YOU'RE "A regular gimblct TO go through
body" he complained. "Why don't you
say somethin's don't Ike folks as takes
it all out in thinkin'.''
''Shall repeat your own elegant remark
of catch this kid nappngr Ny friend, you
did not send the message which brought
me to this hole simply to make that PROPOSE
ton to me. Keep yourself to the business
which it will be greatly to my advantage
to heer, the last quoted a triiie scornfully
from an ill-writtcn and ill-spelled message
which had been placed in his hands that
day.
'Hush,s warned the other. with glance
around. "Don't you call names about the
place here. There's no tellin who might
hear it. You amt got no word about that
missin' package O your'n, recllon:'
81 have not.''
''Well, it's that sent to see YOU about.
I've got onto the track of the cove what
corralled it. II you hire ne for the job,
III run him inter the ditch-Tli corner him
so tight that lies can't save him.
Another detective in the field, ch!'' still
with that slight, hooking smile playing up
on his countenance. 1T is upon the prn-
ciple Of set thief to catch a thief that you
offer yourself, suppose!''
Look you, boss said the man, impress
lively; ''if you wor'n't with me you couldn't
say things like that here and get off scott
free. Fur your own good, be j leetle quiet
er. An now what do you say!''
when l have any anxiety about that
package, l will let you know, Mr.-What
shall call you!'' ..s-r-.-a
tom Riddle is my name Red Tom is
good enough handle for me-
"Wen. then, Red Tom, l respectfully in
form you that have no need of your scrv-
ices. The regular detectives employed are
good enough for me-"
They're thousand miles of from the
truth an goin' furdcr. You'll never get
them ere goods back through the detectives,
sir, unless somebody blows the scheme that
was worked"
Lyman looked at him inquiringly as if he
expected him to say something more, but
nothing more came, ne answered, quiet
~. b..s
.'You should offer your services to the
express company; they might have need Of
them, have not. If that Is the end and
aim of your desire to see me, we may IS
well close our interview now
Red Tom leaned toward him and dropped
his voice even lower in its assured and con-
fidential tone.
'Mebby you'd ruther hire me no. to track
the papers an the thief, boss. I'm as open
to that sort of business as t'other. Think
it over for a mint afore you say no.
There was a change in Lyman Childer's
face. try as he would to keep 1t impassivc.
What do you meant ne asked. sharply.
"Jest this: I've heeri that you've come
into fortune. boss. Now, spoSen them
ere papers was meant to llcepit away from
you, spose it I'D be sight better fur you
if they never got to you-it 'ud De worth
while payin' teller TO let the business
alone, wouldn't it: Kind OF fortunit
thing, that 'cre robbery. in sich a case.
S'posen again that the fcller who gos them
papers was ALFRED mad when he found
what they was thought he was maxim a
big haul and found himself left. N:ee:ally.
he wants to know how to turn the taing to
the best account, an we'll s'pose. surder,
that ne appints me as So-between to see