nestness.

Stranleigh passed it over.

"I'm expecting a reply. At what time shall I call for it?"

"You don't need to call, Mr. Stranleigh. When it comes, I'll lock up the
office, and find you if you're anywhere in town."

"I'm stopping over at the tavern."

"All right; you'll get it."

"Thanks. Good morning."

"See you later," said the now thoroughly-awakened operator, and
Stranleigh proceeded to the railway station. He took the next train to
the nearest town east, and there did some more telegraphing, but this
time the message was in cypher, and it was addressed to his agent in New
York. Translated, it read--

"Send me at once by express, registered and insured, twenty thousand
dollars in currency, made up of five dollar, ten dollar, and hundred
dollar bills."

The address was fully written out in plain English. He found there was
time for a satisfactory lunch before the west-bound train arrived, and
he partook of it in the chief hotel, whose accommodation was much
superior to that of the Bleachers tavern.

On his return to headquarters, he called in at the telegraph office. The
young man in charge, at once recognising him, announced--

"Nothing doing. The moment anything comes I'll take it over to the
tavern. Say, is there anything secret about that telegram you sent?"

"No; why do you ask?"

"Well, Mr. Ricketts, a lawyer here, came in about ten minutes ago, and
described you, and wanted to know if you had sent a telegram."

"What did you say to him?"

"I said nobody had sent a telegram, and that I knew nothing of you. He
seemed powerful anxious, and offered me a dollar to let him know if you
telegraphed anything. I went over to the tavern to tell you about it,
but they said you hadn't been in since breakfast."

"I suppose you haven't many chances of picking up an extra dollar in
Bleachers?"

"No; I haven't. Ricketts is always mighty curious about anyone who
arrives here, but I never knew him offer a cent for information before."

"I'm very much obliged to you. You go right over to Ricketts' office and
pick up his dollar, but don't say _I_ gave you the advice. By the way,
wouldn't you be breaking the rules of the Western Telegraph Company if
you divulged the purport of any message that passed through your hands?"

A look of trouble, almost of fear, came over the young man's face.

"If a telegram is secret," he said, "the sender usually writes it in
cypher."

"Quite so, but even in that case