West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-02-16
CHAPTER VII

oi AnclF car Wnllo won't 10 my own.
IL took me some time 10 get froshcncd
up and then ate my breakfast. for aft
CT riding az miles in one night even the
most heroic purposes have TO take the
side track. i think, as il was, l proved
my devotion pretty well by not going 10
sleep, since / had been up three nights.
with only such maps us l could steal in
tho saddle, ard had ridden over 100 miles
TO boot But / couldn't bear TO think Of
Miss Cullen's anxiety. When 1 had fin
lshed eating, / went into 2l8.
The party were all in the dining
room, but il was very different look
ing crowd from the one with which
that first breakfast had been eaten. and
they all looked at me as / entered as il
L were the executioner come for victims.
Mr.. Cullen" said, 1--WE been
forced to do "a lot of things that weren't
pleasant, but l don't want TO do more
than need. You're not the ordinary
kind of road agents, and. as presume
your address is known, don't see any
need of arresting one of our own di-
rectors as yet. All / ask is that yen give
me your word for the party that none OF
you Will try 10 leave the country"
Certainly, Mr.. Gordon" " he re.
sponded. "And 1 thank you for your
great consideration.
81 shall have TO report the case to our
president, and suppose 20 the postmas-
ter general, but 1 shan't hurry about Ell
they What they win do / can't say.
Probably you know how far you can
keep them quiet. "
II think the local authorities arsn all
have To fear, provided time is given
me-"
II have dismissed jhe sheriff and his
posse, and 1 gave them 800 fer their
work and three bottles of pretty good
whisky had on my car Unless they
get orders from elsewhere, you will not
hear any further from thom."
''Ycu mus. let mo reimburse what
expense we have pat you to, Nh. Cor
don. / only wish could as easily repay
your kindness.
Hodding my head in assent rs well
as in recognition of his thanks / CON
t.nucd, "It was my duty as an official
# the *. & a. 10 recover the stolen
mail, and had to DO t."
1--WE Underst and that" snid Mr.. Cul-
len, and do not for momout blame
you"
But, went on, for the first time
looking at Madge "it is not my duty
TO take part in contest for control Of
the X. & ~, and l shall therefore act
IN this case as / should in any other loss
of mail"
And that i3''-- asked Frederic.
81 sm about TO telegraph fer instruc-
tions from Washington, said. "As
the G. $. has tied up sonlc Of your
proxies, they ought not TO object if we
do the same, and think / can manage
so that Uncle Sam viii prevent those
proxies from being voted al Ash Forks
on Friday"
If gnlyanic battery had been applied
to the breakfast table, it wouldn't have
made bigger change. Madge clapped
her hands in JOY. Mr.. Cullen said
God bless youW with real feeling.
Frederic jumped up and slapped me on
the shoulder, crying, Gordon, you re
the biggest old trump breathing, " while
Albert and the captain shook hands with
each other in evident jubilation. Only
Lord Rallies remained passive
Have you breakfasted?" asked Mr..
Cullen when tho first joy was over.
Yes" / said. II only stopped in on
my way to the station to telegraph" "
MAY I come with you and see what
you say?" cried Fred, jumping up.
nodded, and Miss Cullen said ques-
tioningly, Me too?" making me very
happy by the question, for il showed
that she would speak TO me. In mo
ment we were all walking toward the
platform. Despite Lord Rallies, felt
happy, and especially as I had not
dreamed that she would ever forgive me.
1 took q telegraph blank, and, put
ting it 50 that Miss Cullen could see
what i said, wrote:
Postmaster General, Washington:
hold, awaiting Jour Instructions tho three
registered letters stolen from No. Overland
Missouri Western express Oh Monday oct. a.
loss OF which has already boon notified you.
Then ! pausod and said: $50 far,
that's routine, Mics Cullen. Now comes
the help for you. " And / continued:
Tho letters may have been tampcred with.
ond recommend n special agent RopIv Flag.
staff Arizona. RiCHARD GoHBOu,
superintendent X. and a. K. H.
'What will that dO?" she asked.
I'm not much at prophecy, and we'll
wait for the reply, ] said
All that day we lay at Flagstaff, and
after a good sleep, as there was no use
keeping the party cooped up I'm thoir
car, drummed mp some ponies and took
the Cullens and Ackland over 20 the In
dian cliff dwellings. / don't think Lord
Rallies gained anything by staying be
hind in sulk, for IL was a very Jolly
ride, or at least that was what it was to-
me. j had to tell them all how I had
settled on them as the criminals To
hear Miss Cullen talk one would have
inferred ! was the greatest Of living de
toctves.
"Iho mistake we made, shc said,
was not securing Mr.. Gordon's holp TO
begin with. for then we should never
have needed TO hold the train up. or,
II we had, we should never have been
discovered. 4"
What was more to me than This il1
deserved admiration were two things
she said ON the way back when we two
had paired of and were n bit behind the
rest.
"The sandwiches and the whisky
tts