“That being the case,” I went on to Kelso, “I ask you and these men, believing as you must that I didn’t get a fair deal, not to molest me, and if any one comes to this city after the reward, to keep me informed. Is it a bargain?”
“Don’t bother yourself about a country sheriff,” said Kelso, assuming the responsibility of the whole party, “for it’ll be a very cold day if them down-easters catch you in this town when you have us at your back; but of course we can’t do this—”
“Say no more, gentlemen,” said I, interrupting him, and speaking to them all; “it’s not necessary. I shall rely on this assurance, and I’m not asking you to work for charity’s sake.”
With that I handed each one of them two hundred dollars, and, bidding them good night, went down town, feeling that I had invested six hundred dollars not unwisely from my viewpoint. The next evening I met Jack McCord and Radford at the parade ground and paid the former four thousand dollars in large bills and received in exchange my bonds, and was really glad to get them back at the price. As I was leaving them, McCord asked me if I objected to telling him the name of the man in the Cadiz Bank job who escaped with me.
“Most assuredly I do,” was my prompt reply, and I took no pains to repress the indignation I felt at the mere suggestion of betraying Hughes. “Do you think I’m a squealer too?”
“We don’t want to send him to prison!” hastily explained Radford. “All we want is our usual percentage.”
“Well,” said I, the hot blood stinging my cheeks, “I’ll let you fellows know that I’m no Bill Brockway; and if you find the man you’re after, it will be on the level so far as I’m concerned.”
I said this in a manner that left no doubt in their minds as to my sincerity. I also let them know that Brockway’s squealing propensities were well known to me. I had begun to learn a great deal of the crook’s life in a very short time, it seemed to me.
“That was a fine hand you played against Billy Matthews,” I went on. “If you’re going to deal with crooks, I’d advise you to be on the square, and you’ll succeed better.” At this George Radford looked at me peculiarly, as though he thought that I knew more than I was telling. Jack McCord, in an attempt to put himself in as level an attitude as possible, but failing, said:—
“We fellers have to get at things the best way we can, and, as you must know, we’re not in the police business for our health.”