"I was just about to continue on my way," he said, "when it occurred to me that you might be interested to know."
"That's good of you. But what is it all about?"
"Some time ago, a very profane and impatient gentleman, waiting for money to be telegraphed to him from New York—"
"Well, man, go on! Where is he?"
"I know nothing about the movements of this ungodly person, but it appears that to-day, for the first time in its history, the quarry up yonder has been robbed. Circumstances lead the manager to suspect that this same gentleman was the perpetrator of the theft, and I am on my way to further the ends of justice."
"No need to be so particular about calling him a gentleman. But what is the 'accident' likely to be?"
"It is feared that the thief may not be aware of the nature of the article he has stolen, and it is very dangerous."
"What on earth is it?"
"It is a fairly large-sized stick of dynamite."
The youth might have been discussing a fancy dance, so suave and polite was he. Jim interrupted rudely.