In reply to an avalanche of questions, Mr. Haywood replied to the crowd in general:
“Yes, it is true. Colonel Conrad was murdered last night. His dead body was found this morning. That is all there is of it at present. Nothing whatever is known as to how or by whom the deed was committed.”
“Is any of his gold missing?” asked the express driver.
“No investigation or search has been made yet.”
“I delivered one of those boxes yesterday.”
“A box of gold?”
“Yes; said to contain thirty thousand dollars.”
“Ah!” said Haywood. “Perhaps some one saw you deliver it, and was tempted to commit burglary.”
“I don’t know of but one person that took particular notice of my delivering it, and that was one of the young men who arrived in town two or three days ago, and havebeen stopping at the hotel. He was riding by the house at the time, and we exchanged a few words about it.”
“What was said?”