“And who in hell,” said Chuck querulously, “would be fool enough to trade yuh a hundred and thirty-two thousand dollars for five thousand?”
“That all depends on the point of view.”
“Well, I know what mine would be.”
“Yuh spoke of valuable packages,” said Slim.
“Yes, I did. There are two packages, each containing fifty cut diamonds. These packages are worth twenty-five thousand each. There is one small package containing a single diamond ring, worth ten thousand dollars. Another package contains five platinum and diamond watches, valued at seven thousand. A package of currency worth thirty-five thousand, a canvas sack of gold worth ten thousand, and a package of negotiable bonds, worth twenty thousand. In all there were seven packages.”
“Good God!” snorted Chuck. “Some fellers shore do have all the luck. If I held up that train, I’d prob’ly get a mail-order catalogue.”
“You say you are not a detective,” said Slim.
“I am not; I merely represent the company. I don’t know what good a detective would do in a case of this kind. It is merely a case of a lone bandit holding up the train and making his getaway. His capture would consist more of luck than anything else. As you have said, the description of the robber would fit half the men in the Valley. And as far as that is concerned, any one man in the Valley could have done the job.”
“And he’d be a sucker to give it back,” declared Chuck.
“We don’t expect him to give it back. But to the man who can recover that money—or rather the packages, intact—we will give five thousand dollars.”