“This gentleman is the one to tell you about it.”
Mr. Southwick turned toward O’Hara with a look of inquiry.
O’Hara met it squarely. Then, searching a moment for words to put the matter succinctly, he said:
“Mr. Southwick, I have evidence in hand which shows that you are harboring a traitor in your midst. You may know the man. His name is Brown—owner of a big ranch near the city. Without telling the story of how I happened to get there, I’ll simply say that I finally managed to escape with these papers. I arrived in Albuquerque about an hour ago with my nephew here, and we decided to come to you immediately. Here are the papers. I think they will establish the truth of what I have just been saying.”
The chief reached for the bundle of papers, but said nothing, nor indeed were the onlookers able to discern any expression of surprise on his face as he listened to O’Hara’s disclosure.
He untied the papers, and spreading them out on the desk at which he sat, he glanced through them hurriedly. When he again looked up, Danny and O’Hara could see that he had already arrived at a decision.
“Gentlemen,” he said, “this bundle of papers contains enough evidence to put a dozen men in the penitentiary if we can lay our hands on them. We must immediately gather in as many of these traitors as we can. Burns,” he addressed the policeman, “go out and locate every detective and officer that you can. Have them meet at my residence in half an hour. There’s not a minute to be lost. I will get in touch with several men from my own office. In thirty-five minutes exactly we will start for Brown’s ranch with as much of a force as we can organize.”
“Sooner if possible, Chief,” suggested Danny. “We left the ranch almost two hours ago, and something was in the wind then. It looked like they were planning to leave. They may be gone now.”
Burns had left to do Mr. Southwick’s bidding, and the next half hour sped by in hurried preparation.
From time to time a new arrival swelled the little group of men who were waiting patiently for the minute of departure. Burns was evidently successful in rounding up his men.