"Don't know," said Ted. "Sounded like some one walking on the veranda and trying the door."
He had no sooner spoken when the door was thrust open and four men sprang into the room and looked around.
At the same instant, Farnsworth leaped to his feet, drawing his revolver and backing into the center of the room.
Farnsworth was as pale as paper, but his eyes flashed fire as he glanced swiftly around.
Apparently there was no way of escape, for the intruders barred the only outside door.
The sudden entrance into the brilliant light had temporarily blinded the men, so that they stood uncertainly for a few moments, looking from one to the other of the figures that almost filled the room.
Major Caruthers now stepped in front of them, his face red with anger.
"What do you mean by intruding on me like this?" he thundered.
For answer, one of the men threw back his coat and displayed the star of a deputy United States marshal.
"We're officers," he said gruffly, "an' we want Fancy Farnsworth."