“We have a room,” she said. “What more have you heard about the stage robbery?”
“Nothing, Miss Lee.”
“Oh, I thought maybe you had,” she murmured 108 tremulously, for his blue eyes were unwaveringly upon her and she could not know how much or how little he might mean.
Later she saw him sitting on the fence, holding genial converse with Jim Budd. The waiter was flashing a double row of white teeth in deep laughter at something the deputy had told him. Evidently they were already friends. When she looked again, a few minutes later, she knew Jack had reached the point where he was pumping Jim and the latter was disseminating misinformation. That the negro was stanch enough, she knew, but she was on the anxious seat lest his sharp-witted inquisitor get what he wanted in spite of him. After he had finished with Budd the ranger drifted around to the kitchen in time to intercept Hop Ling casually as he came out after finishing his evening’s work. The girl was satisfied Flatray could not have any suspicion of the truth. Nevertheless, she wished he would let the help alone. He might accidentally stumble on something that would set him on the right track.
CHAPTER VIII
THE BOONE-BELLAMY FEUD IS RENEWED
“Here’s six bits on the counter under a seed catalogue. Did you leave it here, daddy?”
Champ Lee, seated on the porch just outside the store door, took the pipe from his mouth and answered: