He was very tired, for he had not rested well in the freight car, but a good night’s sleep made him feel like a new person.
CHAPTER XV
INVOKING THE LAW
While Joe Strong was thus making his first public appearance as a wizard, or, rather, as a magician’s assistant, quite different scenes were being enacted in his home town and at his former residence.
Deacon Blackford had discovered the fire, found out that he had been robbed, and noted the disappearance of Joe. With these facts confronting himself and his wife, the deacon at once began to act.
“What you going to do?” asked Mrs. Blackford, as he dressed for the street.
“I’m going out,” he answered grimly.
“What! At this time of night?”
“Can’t help it,” was the reply. “I’m going to get the law after him.”
“You mean Joe?”
“I don’t mean anybody else! He robbed me and you, and he’s got to take the consequences! I’m going to look for the constables. Joe can’t have gone very far. I saw him jumping out of the window, but at the time I didn’t know who it was. He robbed me, and he set fire to the place.”