Part 22 (1/2)
”Come in, boys!” he invited when dick and Bud stood in the doorway
”How's everything? Any h ”The weather is quiet, but that's the only thing that is”
”What do you mean?” the deputy asked quickly
Without any preliminaries Bud told the story of his capture and escape
The deputy listened carefully, now and then asking a question When Bud had finished he sat silent for a ht his fist doith a bang and looked up
”That settles it!” he cried in a decided tone of voice ”Delton is finished! Froo after hi I can rely on you, of course, to keep it a secret” Strangely the deputy's western accent seemed to leave him, and he assumed a more cultured tone of voice He held a shi+ny piece of ton--Secret Service--here's e”
Bud took it silently It was, indeed, the badge of a federal official
”I took this job as an ordinary deputy to disar River as a stranger I'd be investigated, and perhaps have to give ot myself appointed a deputy, and then I could work openly No one would suspect a western deputy of being a federal man--there's too ling We've siot_ to stop it--soitimately don't like to see their countryration laws if we can't enforce the you this to impress upon you the seriousness of the project”
”It is certainly no joking e
”So you're a federal lers secretly you'd take another position than deputy”
”You'll see hoork out,” Hawkins said ”It's so what you really are
Figure that one out What I mean is, if I openly assume the aspect of a man of the law, no one will look further than that Understand?”
”I do,” responded dick ”And now let's decide on our plan of action
Do you think what happened to Bud will change any of the details, Mr
Hawkins?”
”Don't see why it should In fact I think it makes our scheme all the h to-night There's no doubt but that's what you heard referred to, Bud, for I had a tip concerning the sa They will depend on the element of surprise and the superiority in number to succeed We'll have our hands full, at any rate”
”Somehow this doesn't see of sht ahead and play into our hands”
”My dear boy,” said Hawkins grimly, ”you don't quite understand
Delton is far fro into our hands In fact, if truth be told, our chances are rather slim that we'll ever see Delton He's no baby
But I think we've got hi across the border doesn't knoe kno here's the situation” dick and Bud came closer ”A shi+pload of chinks have just landed in Mexico Never led over the border within three days, toin Mexico corresponded with Delton last week, telling hiht
”There's one thing ant tothem off Has there been much action around your ranch?”
”None at all We've kept things pretty quiet”
”That's good Tell you--I think it would be best if you felloould stay as close to the ranch house as possible, until this thing is over