Bob lost no time in stepping down. Olney stopped to talk to Mr. Starleigh for several minutes. When he was gone, the youth grasped the old photographer by the hand.
“Oh, how can I thank you!” he exclaimed, warmly.
“That’s all right,” returned Mr. Starleigh. “I haven’t forgotten what you did for me, Bob.”
“It was fortunate you came here.”
“I was summoned to testify against a fellow who set the building on fire,” returned the old photographer. “He had a grudge against one of the tenants. But the case has been postponed for a couple of days, so I am not needed.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“If you will, I wish you would go over to Martin’s studio. He will give us facilities for printing from the plates we saved. This afternoon the fire insurance agents are going to adjust my claim and then I will open somewhere else just as soon as I can.”
“Before I leave I would like to know what the police did at Cabot’s,” said Bob.
“We will ask Captain Downes. I know him quite well.”
The official mentioned was found close at hand. He said two rivermen had gotten into a dispute in the saloon, and both had discharged their pistols, but without damage. Two policemen had been summoned, and the rivermen were now in jail.