"Ask him if he can explain where he has been the past two hours. I came straight up here from th' Tree, an' he was sartinly not on th' road. P'raps he has a cross road by which he carries th' mail. I s'pose thet would give him more chance to look over th' letters; but is thet the way Uncle Sam expects him to carry it?"
"Mr. Warfield," said Little Snap, knowing it was not best for him to speak too freely before the rest, "I would like to see you alone for a few minutes. I think I can explain this matter in a satisfactory manner."
"Don't be afraid to speak right up before these gentlemen," said Mr. Warfield. "They are all my friends, and my friends are yours."
But Little Snap was too crafty to divulge his secret to Dan Shag, whom he did not dare to trust.
"I cannot speak here where I am liable to be heard by some one even you would not care to have hear. If you will come into my house, Mr. Warfield, I will say what I wish you to know."
"Don't ye risk yer life in his hands," said Shag. "He is armed an' a desprit chap."
"Hadn't I better arrest him now, and then give him his chance to talk?" asked the sheriff.
"Arrest my boy?" cried Mrs. Lewis. "You do—you cannot mean it."
"Be calm, mother. You have nothing to fear. They can arrest me if they wish, but I am innocent of any charge they can bring against me. On what complaint did you think you could arrest me, Mr. Brady?"
"I don't believe I would harm him yet, Jim," Mr. Warfield hastened to say. "If you have anything you wish to say to me alone, Dix, I am ready to listen."