Part 6 (2/2)
”I am willing to try,” a.s.sented Ralph. ”You are strong and used to hard work, and that means a good deal in the roundhouse service.”
Ralph suggested a stroll before bedtime. Zeph was glad for the exercise. Once they were outside, Ralph broached a subject he had been thinking over all the evening.
”Zeph,” he said, ”I want to ask you a very important question.”
”What is that?”
”You remember the day I kept your team for you?”
”I'll never forget it.”
”You missed a package that had been under the feed bags when you came to leave town?”
”Yes, and that's why I am here,” said Zeph. ”Old Ames was almost ready to discharge me for letting those men at the hotel give me drink I had never tasted before and getting in that fix you found me in, and for losing some of the apples, but when he found out that I had lost that package, he was nearly wild.”
”Was there something so valuable in it, then?”
”I dunno. I only know I was told to be sure I kept it hidden and safe till it was delivered to a fellow named Evans in town here.”
”Jim Evans?”
”Yes, that's the full name.”
Ralph looked pretty serious.
”You see, old Ames himself didn't send the package,” went on Zeph. ”It was brought to the house by a fellow who had hired a team from Ames one day last week. Dunno who he is, dunno where he lives, but I can describe him, if you are interested.”
”I am interested, very much so,” a.s.sented Ralph.
Zeph went on to describe the person he had alluded to. By the time he had concluded, it was evident to Ralph that the sender of the package was Ike Slump.
The young fireman took Zeph back to the house but did not enter it himself.
”I will be back soon, Zeph,” he said, ”I have some business down town.”
Ralph went at once to the home of Bob Adair.
”Want to see me, Fairbanks?” questioned the brisk, wide-awake railroad detective, as Ralph was shown into the room where he was busily engaged in packing a satchel.
”Yes, Mr. Adair, about the silk robbery.”
”Oh, that mystery,” nodded the detective. ”I spent two days on it, and didn't find a clew.”
”I had one, but failed to find you,” explained Ralph. ”I'll tell you all about it now.”
”Quick work, then, Fairbanks,” went on Adair, ”for I'm due for a special to the city. Big case from the General Superintendent.”
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