“Yeah. He was here earlier in the evenin’, and somebody said he went out to see Miss Taylor.”
“But he was at the depot to get the money, was he?”
“Yeah.”
“And you think there was four men in on the deal?”
“Sure. The fourth one got on at Encinas. It was his job to put the messenger out of commission, I reckon.”
“This happened out where the AK road turns off the Encinas road, near the railroad track, I understand. They cut the express car loose from the rest of the train, ran it up there, blew the safe and got the money. The engine crew say they had sort of a battle with ’em, after they left the car. Then the engine crew ran the engine and express car back to where they had cut loose from the rest of the train, picked it up and came on to Blue Wells. Is that it?”
“Yeah, that’s what happened.”
“This express messenger and the man who got on the car at Encinas fought in the car, but finally fell out. Do yuh know if this was before or after the train was cut in two?”
The sheriff cogitated deeply.
“I never did hear, but—say, it must ’a’ been after the train was broken, because they picked up the messenger on their way to here. Yessir, it must ’a’ been after they cut off the express car, because that messenger sure was picked up. He never walked to the train.”