“That’s done, my lads,” he announced, when he again came into the car. “In less than half an hour the telegram should be in the hands of the cashier.”
“I hope to gracious it’ll git there in time,” said the Leeville man. “I’d hate to have it said that ten thousand dollars was lost jest because a constable in our town hadn’t sense enough to do the right thing.”
“Something ought to be done to the rest of that rascally gang at the old Higbee house,” suggested the conductor.
“It’s too late for that,” said Matt. “As soon as Joe and I got clear away from them, the scoundrels probably proceeded to make themselves scarce.”
“I’ll bet they’re absent a whole lot,” chimed in the cowboy. “It was a good deal of scheming they did just for a measly ten thousand dollars.”
“That sum is plenty large enough to make a whole lot of men go wrong,” asserted the conductor. “But, say, I’d like to have a picture of you two boys breaking through those iron gates in that automobile! It’s a wonder you didn’t get killed.”
“I should say so!” breathed the man from Leeville. “You ought to’ve seen them gates, conductor. I’ve seen ’em, dozens o’ times. They’re big, an’ high, an’ hinged to heavy brick columns. It’s a miracle that car wasn’t smashed to kindlin’ wood, an’ the youngsters along with it.”
“I was pretty sure we’d get through,” said Matt, “or we wouldn’t have tried it.”
“He’s the lad to figure things out,” expanded McGlory proudly. “His mind works like a rapid-fire gun, an’ it ain’t often he misses the bull’s-eye, either.”
“I guess you hit it off about right,” laughed the conductor. “I’m glad you had the nerve to tell me the whole story, Motor Matt, and that you didn’t try to dodge when I confronted you with this gentleman from Leeville. What you’ve said has made me your friend, and I’ll bet the Leeville man feels the same way.”