Part 25 (1/2)
”It did.”
”Glad to hear it, stranger. Sometimes the folks from the big cities find fault. Expect me to run a reg'lar Aster-Delmonic.u.m, or sumthin'
like that.”
”It is very hard to suit everybody,” said d.i.c.k. ”By the way,” he went on, ”do you know a man around these parts named Sack Todd?”
”Do I know him? To be sure I do, stranger. Friend o' yourn?”
”Not exactly, but I have met him a few times. Where does he live?”
”Lives over to Red Rock ranch, quite a few miles from here.”
”Alone?”
”Not exactly. He has a cousin there, I believe, and some others. But I wouldn't advise you to go over to the ranch, nohow.”
”Why?”
”Sack Todd don't take to visitors. The story goes that a visitor once stopped there an' shot his wife and robbed her, an' since that time he ain't had no use fer anybody, only them as he knows very well.”
”Does he run the ranch for a living?”
”Don't know but what he does, but he don't work very hard a-doin' it.”
”Is there an old man working for him--a fellow with thin shoulders and reddish hair?”
”Yes; an' he's a sour pill, too.”
”He must be an odd stick, to keep himself so close.”
”Yes; but Sack's a good spender, when he's in the humor of it.
Sometimes he comes to town with a wad o' money an' treats everybody right an' left. Then ag'in he comes in an' won't notice n.o.body.”
Here the talk came to an end, for the hotel man had to attend to some new arrivals. d.i.c.k joined the others and all took a walk, so that their conversation might not be overheard.
”This only adds to the mystery,” said Tom after d.i.c.k had repeated what the tavern keeper had said. ”I am more anxious now than ever to visit Red Rock ranch, as they call it.”
”So am I,” added Sam. ”And remember, we want to catch Dan Baxter if we can.”
”Well, we can't go ahead and back too, boys,” came from d.i.c.k. ”If we really mean to investigate, we ought to send Mr. Denton and the ladies and the girls word. If we don't, and we are delayed any great length of time, they will be sure to worry about us.”
”Maybe we can telephone,” suggested Songbird. ”Don't you see the wires? Some of the plantations must have the service.”
”That's the talk!” cried Fred. ”Let us try it, anyway.”
They walked to the nearest station and looked over the book. But the Denton plantation was not mentioned.
”We can send a letter,” said d.i.c.k. ”That will get there before they have a chance to worry.”