He sprang to his feet. “It’s not true! It’s false! Whatever it is, it’s false! I did see Watts, and he asked me to go in with them, but I only agreed so as to learn who they were, so we could capture them!”
To his utter dismay the two officers only laughed drily.
“No, no! That’s quite too thin,” declared the detective. “Read this.”
Blankly Jack took the letter, and read:
“Chief Detective,
“Middle Western R. R.
“Dear Sir: The young night operator at Midway Junction has joined the freight-stealing gang that Corry belonged to, and if you will look under the mattress in his room at the railroad boarding-house you will find a watch and chain of the lot we stole at Claxton two weeks ago. I gave it to him last Friday night. I came to Midway by the Eastfield freight, and when I saw another operator in the station office, I started up towards the boarding-house, and met Orr coming down. I mention this to show my story is all straight.
“I heard he was going to give us away as soon as he had got enough loot himself, and claim he only went in with us to get us. That is why I am showing him up.
“Yours truly,
“W. Watts.”