Part 40 (1/2)
”In the first place, I want you to tell me all you know about Sack Todd. What does he do at his ranch?”
”Humph! Don't ask me, fer I don't know. An' if I did--”
”And if you did--”
”Sack's been a putty good friend ter me, stranger. Lent me a hundred dollars onct, when a fire had cleaned me out. A feller don't feel much about hurtin' his friend.”
”That is so, too. Then you really don't know what is going on at the ranch? Come now, speak the truth,” and James Monday's voice grew stern.
”Well, it's some sort o' patent, I guess. Sack don't want folks to git onto it. Reckon it's a new-fangled printing press--one to run by electrist.i.ty--or sumthin' like that.”
”He told you that, did he?”
”Yes. But I hain't goin' to answer no more questions,” went on the old man, and started to mount the wagon seat again.
”Wait,” said James Monday. ”I am sorry, but you'll have to stay here for the present, Mr. Cashaw.”
”You mean you are goin' to make me stay here?”
”For a while, yes.”
”With the wagon?”
”No, I'll drive your wagon to the ranch.”
”I ain't askin' you to do the job.”
”I'll do it for nothing,” answered the government official with a quiet smile.
”See here, I don't understand this, at all,” cried Bill Cashaw. ”What is yer game, anyhow?”
”If you want me to be plain, I'll tell you. I suspect the men at the ranch of a serious crime. For all I know, you are one of the gang and as bad as the rest. If so, you're face to face with a long term in prison.”
”Crime? Prison? I ain't done a thing!”
”If you are innocent, you have nothing to fear, and you will do what you can to aid me in running down the guilty parties.”
At this, the face of the old man became a study. He started to talk, stammered and became silent.
”Tell me!” he burst out suddenly. ”Are you an officer?”
”I am--working under the United States Government.”
”Oh!” The old man turned pale. ”Then let me say, as I said afore, I ain't done nuthin' wrong, an' I don't want to go to prison. If them fellers at the ranch are criminals, I don't want ter work fer 'em no more, an' I'll help you to bring 'em to justice.”
CHAPTER XXIV
TOM CARRIES A LETTER
After that it was a comparatively easy matter to get the old man to talk, and he told James Monday and the boys practically all he knew about Sack Todd and his followers.