“Gave yuh each two-bits, eh?” smiled McLaren. “That was generous of him, eh?”
“Y’betcha. Over by the Pinnacle’ Saloon rack. I throwed my ball to him an’ it went under the end of the sidewalk. He got under after it, an’ he found somethin’, I think. Anyway, he was lookin’ at a paper when he got out, an’ he gave us each two-bits.”
“What kind of a piece of paper?” asked McLaren.
“I seen it,” said the other boy, watching the merchant weigh the candy. “It was kinda folded up—had printin’ on it. Say, Mr. Becker, are yuh sure them scales don’t weight under?”
They paid for their candy and went outside, looking into their sacks.
“That must have been Hartley,” said Kelsey. “He didn’t lose any time in followin’ us to town. He was at the HJ, when we brought the body past there. I wonder what he found?”
McLaren shook his head. He hadn’t any idea, nor was he interested in knowing.
Kelsey went back to the court-house, where he found Fred Coburn, the county attorney, at his office. He laid the facts of the case before Coburn, who listened to Kelsey’s story of finding the body of the brakeman.
“All right,” said Coburn briskly. “Make out a new reward notice, Len. Offer the reward, dead or alive. I’ll file a charge of first degree murder against Rich. Personally, I think he killed Jim Wheeler, although that would be hard to make stick. This is a cinch. Better see if the commissioners don’t want to boost that reward. When Ludlow comes, I’m sure the bank will boost it. Rich is going to make one break too many—and we’ll get him.”
“That’s a cinch, Coburn. See yuh later.”