Knowing these facts, the others acquiesced in their leadership and, excited at the thought that the much wanted desperado might be the mysterious Mr. Howard who had made them so ridiculous, they hurried to acquaint Dillaby and Mr. Rozier with the startling development.
As the suggestion was made that the miner was no other than Jesse James, the banker grew deathly pale.
"You can't mean it!" he murmured.
"But we do," returned one of the detectives. "Won't it be great if he is?" continued the fellow, enthusiastically.
"No it won't," snapped Mr. Rozier. "Oh! why did I ever get you down here, anyway? I'll give you a hundred dollars apiece to drop the matter and go back to Kansas City on the next train!"
Amazed at the sudden change in the man who had employed them, the detectives gazed at one another in bewilderment.
"We can't do that," returned Dillaby, at last. "If your men should turn out to be the bandits, the chief'll be so tickled he won't charge you a cent. We'll let you know how things come out."
"But I engaged you. If I order you to go back, why shouldn't you go?" fumed the banker.
"Because if the miners and the outlaws are one and the same, Jones and Higgins will need help in landing them and the men on the trail of Jesse James can press all the other Pinkertons into service they want.
"I don't see, sir, however, why, when you were so keen to prove the strangers frauds, you developed such an aversion to the idea when the trail may lead to the desperadoes?"