“Could I attend to matters fer you?” Mrs. Savage had asked, pausing in the midst of her baking. She hoped the three men would tell her their errand, as she was very curious. She rather suspected it had to do with the robbery, and imagining they were organizing a crowd to hunt down the burglars, wanted her husband to help.
“No, ma’am, we’ll explain to Mr. Savage,” had been the reply from Constable Wolff, who had taken upon himself the part of spokesman. “Never tell any detective news to a woman,” he cautioned his companions a little later. “They can’t keep a secret.”
The two constables whispered together for a moment, and then announced that they would go to the barn and await the return of Mr. Savage. That was one object they had, and the other was due to a suggestion of Constable Wolff’s, that they try to locate the whereabouts of Dan, and prevent him escaping, until they could consult with his employer. The truth was, in spite of what Hank Lee had said, both constables were a little doubtful of Dan’s guilt.
When the officers and Silas reached the barn they met one of the hired men. Making a casual inquiry from him, Mr. Wolff learned that the farm-hand had seen Dan leave the cornfield some time before and start for the house.
“Then he’s tryin’ to escape!” Constable Wolff had declared. “That’s his object! Come on, we’ll surround the house. I’ll appoint you a special deputy,” he added to the hired man, “an’ you’ll be obliged by law to help us.”
“Help you do what?”
“Arrest Dan Hardy.”
“Arrest Dan Hardy? What for?”
“We suspect him of the robbery of Dr. Maxwell’s house. Mind you, we only suspect him, an’ we want to question him. You’ve got t’ help.”
“Well, I’ll help you, all right, but you needn’t worry. Dan Hardy is as innocent as I am. He isn’t going to run away. Come on, I’ll take you to his room.”