“Well, by George!” he exclaimed, as he grasped Scott’s hand, “here you are at last. I have scoured the woods from Dan to Beersheba and was just about to order out a searching party to-morrow. Where under the sun have you been?”
“Scouring the woods same as you have,” Scott laughed, “but I guess Murphy can tell you better where we have been than I can. I did not know where we were most of the time. Come on in, Murphy, and bring your friend with you.”
The screen door opened and Qualley walked in closely followed by Murphy. He may have been very much humiliated, but it did not show in his face. He seemed to be the coolest one in the bunch.
“Why, hello, Qualley!” Mr. Graham exclaimed cordially. “I did not know that you were with the boys. Mrs. Murphy told me that you had gone with Burton,” he continued, shaking Murphy by the hand, “but she did not say anything about Qualley.”
“Guess she did not know about him,” Scott grinned, “he joined us later.”
“Well, let’s hear about it. Did you find any clue?”
“This one,” Scott answered, motioning toward Qualley; and at the same time Mr. Graham noticed the pistol in Murphy’s hand.
“What!” he cried in astonishment, “do you mean to say that this man is connected with the robbery?”
“Funny, isn’t it?” Murphy remarked. “First time I ever heard of a fellow robbing himself, informing on himself, and then helping to catch himself.”
Mr. Graham was too much astonished to say a word. He simply stared at Qualley open-mouthed. At last he recovered sufficiently to repeat his request to Scott to tell him about it.