“Why wouldn’t you?” he demanded. “Of course, you’d tell. Think any promise you made would be worth—that.”
The crook snapped his fingers.
“I know Coster,” said Teagler.
“Oh, you do! That’s why you wouldn’t tell him, eh? Or, maybe, you’d induce him to let me off easy?”
Teagler shook his head.
“I should say not,” continued Kirk. “He hasn’t got me yet. I ran the risk to get these little pretties and I’m going to cash in on them. You’re not going to stop me, either.”
He reached for a coil of rope on the wall and approached Teagler.
“Put your hands behind your back!” he ordered.
In a little more than a minute, the prospector was securely tied, hands and feet.
“I told you I knew Coster,” insisted Teagler, as Kirk draw taut the last knots. “There’s something yet in that drawer you’ll like to see. Open a little black box in there. It’s unlocked. You’ll find a paper that will interest you. Maybe, it will save your life from the noose. If you see that, you’ll think I ain’t so likely to tell Coster.”