“You did have them!”
“Not on this stage trip.”
“No? Do you mean it?” Toby Sam howled the words, and his comrades crowded angrily round the young man. “Who had ’em, then?”
“When I get ready, I’ll tell you that,” Bruce said coolly. “You know so much, I shouldn’t think you’d need to ask me anything.”
“Search him!” yelled Toby Sam.
Some of the road agents threw themselves on their helpless prisoner and searched him thoroughly, doing it in the roughest fashion. However, they failed to find the emeralds.
“He ain’t got ’em!” they yelled.
Toby Sam threw up his revolver again. He was brave enough when his enemy was tied, and could not possibly harm him.
“Tell us where them em’rulds aire!” he ordered. “And do it mighty quick, er you’ll do no more talkin’ in this world.”
There was such menace in his words and tone that Bruce hesitated.