and he turned to his companion,
conscious of keen relief, with a brown overall jacket in his hand. A
further examination, shrinkingly made, revealed nothing else, and after
marking the place they waded to the bank. The garment was carefully
washed in the creek and the men gathered in a ring round Curtis when he
inspected it.

"Have any of you seen this thing before?" he asked, holding it up.

None of them would identify it. Thin duck overalls are commonly worn by
ranchers and working people, in place of heavier clothing, during the hot
weather. Then Curtis turned to Prescott.

"What's your idea?"

"It isn't Jernyngham's," the rancher said decidedly. "It's too old, for
one thing; looks as if it had been in the water quite a while."

"Hard to tell," commented Curtis. "But go on."

Prescott took the jacket and held it so that the others could see the
inside of the collar.

"No maker's tag," he continued. "Now Cyril always bought the kind they
give you a doll with."

One of the others laughed and supplied the name of the manufacturer,
which was attached to every garment.

"I've seen three or four of those dolls and golliwog things in his
house," the man added. "Used to guy him about keeping them, as he had no
kids."

"We can fix the thing by inquiring at the dry goods store," Curtis
rejoined.

"Can't see whose it was, if it wasn't Jernyngham's," another broke in.
"There's no homestead anywhere near the creek and mighty few people come
up here!"

The policeman took from his pocket a wet envelope, upon which the blurred
writing was still legible.

"Well," he said coolly, "there's no doubt about whose this is." He handed
it to Prescott. "Ever see it in Jernyngham's possession?"

"Yes," answered Prescott with some hesitation. "I recognize the address,
though the English stamp has gone. It was lying near when he was talking
to me on the night of the trouble in Sebastian."

He was filled with uneasiness. The police would certainly attempt to read
the letter, which was the one Colston had written announcing his arrival.
If they succeeded, they would no doubt wonder why the Englishman had not
stayed with Jernyngham, and investigation might lead to a discovery of
the part Prescott had played.

"We've begun quite satisfactorily," said the corporal, "and there's
nothing more to be done to-night. I guess you can quit and have supper,
boys."

In a little while trails of gray smoke floated across the ravine, and