“We’ll overtake him now,” declared the sheriff. “He can’t get away.”
Delvin Riddle laughed.
“He has given us lots of trouble,” said the advance agent. “But now he’s in double trouble. If I don’t get back my watch, he’ll be detained to settle for that horse.”
“And you’ll be detained to push your charge against him,” said the sheriff.
“What’s that?” cried Riddle. “Why, my business won’t permit that. I have to attend to my business.”
“You swore out the warrant and gave it to me to serve. Now you will have to let your business hang while you appear in court and press the charge.”
That did not suit Riddle at all. His object had been to bother and detain Merriwell, while he went on, and he really had no intention of appearing at the trial.
“Perhaps you’ll detain me, and then again perhaps you won’t,” he thought; but he kept this thought to himself.
It was seen that Merriwell’s mount was failing rapidly, and Frank plainly showed some anxiety.
The sheriff looked at his watch.