Jack shut his teeth grimly, and a strange look came over his face.
CHAPTER XIV
THE CHASE
"On, Jack, what shall I do?" asked Jennie. She was trembling, and seemed much alarmed.
"Do? Why you don't have to do anything," the pony express rider answered. "Let this inspector ask his questions, and then we'll see what course to take."
"Oh, but suppose he finds something wrong—not the proper amount of stamps on hand—I can't be sure I counted them right."
"Say, little girl, don't you worry!" Jack went on. "I don't believe this fellow will do much questioning."
"Why, Jack, what makes you talk that way? He's a government inspector. He told me so! Do you know him?"
"I rather think I do, but I'm not sure," Jack answered. Again there was a grim shutting of his lips, and a determined look came into his eyes. "I want to hear him speak first," the lad said "Then I can tell better."
The inspector, if such he were, had stopped outside the post office to light a cigar. He sat easily on his big horse, and Jack could not help admiring the noble animal. The man himself was a fine physical specimen, but he had a hard, cruel face, and shifty eyes. There was no one in the immediate vicinity of the post office at that time, for Jack had delivered the mail an hour before, and he had sauntered back to the office, after doing some errands about town, to have a talk with Jennie. The other mail would not arrive for another hour, so there was no excuse for the gathering of the crowd which always awaited the incoming mail.