“Thought so. Reckon I knows now where Baldy Kane gets that there gold he is so proud about.”
“Yuh mean he steals it an’ then pertends to mine it?” Slivers asked. “I get you. Quartz is plumb heavy to move an’ hard to market, if yuh don’t have a mine.”
“Correct! An’ I figgers I knows why certain gents got Jack down here!”
“They’re double crossin’ Baldy an’ plannin’ to have Jack drop him, ’cause they is scared to do it themselves!” Slivers whistled softly.
“Correct again,” Allen said dryly. “Darn it! I knows everythin’, but Jack won’t believe me, ’cause I ain’t got legal proof! That’s the worst of tryin’ to do things lawfully. Reckon I’ll have to stick to outlaws’ law,” he grumbled.
CHAPTER XVI
THE MAIL ROBBER
It was close to seven the following morning when Pop Howes and his wife returned home. They found Slivers Hart and Jim-twin Allen finishing their breakfast.
“Anythin’ happen last night?” Pop asked eagerly.
“Nothin’ a-tall,” Jim replied, with his mouth full of bacon and bread. He and Slivers had spent the night in erasing the signs of the fight.
“Then the thing didn’t work?” Pop asked, and his face clouded.