Hashknife left them abruptly and started for the livery stable. Amos Baggs had a queer expression in his eyes as he watched the retreating back of the tall cowpuncher.
“He’s got me beat,” declared the sheriff. “Signin’ my name to a telegram, and not even explainin’ the answer. He’s shore got plenty nerve.”
“It’s funny he didn’t explain it,” said Baggs.
“That’s right. It said: ‘No passengers from Lobo Wells last night,’ and was signed by a man named Tony Lawton. Mebbe it was one of them code messages. They usually sound queer.”
“That’s probably what it was,” agreed Amos. “If you knew what was in the message he sent, you might understand this reply.”
“Oh, it don’t make any difference, anyway. Did somebody leave Lobo Wells on the train last night?”
“I don’t know,” replied Baggs. “I go to bed before the train arrives here.”
“I guess it was a code message,” decided the sheriff, “but what a danged cowpuncher would be sendin’ a code message for is more than I can make out. He’s gettin’ too darn fresh, usin’ my name on his telegrams; an’ when I see him, he’ll hear about it.”
CHAPTER XXIII: BAGGS TAKES CHARGE
Hashknife picked up Sleepy at the livery stable, and they rode out to the Box S. Sleepy didn’t know what it was all about, but he went willingly. They found Len and Larry on the front porch.