Matt sank back in his chair, dumfounded.
[CHAPTER XIV.]
A QUEER TANGLE.
"Waal, I'm stumped!" snorted Welcome. "Matt stops his race ter save Dirk Hawley's gal, an' Dirk Hawley wins a bonanzer mine bekase o' it. Looks to me like a put-up job. Mebby the gal was bein' run away with a-purpose."
"Welcome!" reproved Susie sharply.
"That's right," whimpered the old man. "Jump onter me. Anyways, you know Dirk Hawley wouldn't be above doin' of a thing like that."
"They say Edith Hawley is a fine girl," said Susie, "and just as different from her father as can be. I've heard that Hawley fairly worships her, and it's nonsense to think he'd let her risk her life to keep Matt from beating Perry to the recorder's office. But it's a queer tangle, isn't it, Matt?" she added, turning to her brother's chum.
"Mighty queer," answered Matt. "I'd have stopped and helped the girl, just the same, even if I had known who she was."
"Of course you would!" declared Susie.