pped dead still in his tracks, his eyes bulging. Betty, who was being
led to the water trough, being blind and having no command to halt,
proceeded to bump forcibly against her master's frame.

CHAPTER XXXI

"As You Like It"

"You--don't--say--so! Whoa! dang ye! Cain't you see where you're goin',
you old rip?" Betty was jerked to a standstill. "What have you heerd?"
asked Anderson, his voice shaking with interest.

"I can't tell you out here," said the other cautiously. "Put up the nag
and then meet me in the pasture out there. We can sit down and talk and
not be overheard."

"I won't be a minute. Here, you Roscoe! Feed Betty and water her first.
Step lively, now. Tell your ma we'll be in to supper when we git good
an' ready."

Anderson and Andrew Gregory strode through the pasture gate and far out
into the green meadow. Once entirely out of hearing, Gregory stopped and
both sat down upon a little hillock. The agent was evidently suppressing
considerable excitement.

"Those train robbers are in this neighbourhood," he said, breaking a
long silence. Anderson looked behind involuntarily. "I don't mean that
they are in this pasture, Mr. Crow. You've been a good friend to me, and
I'm inclined to share the secret with you. If we go together, we may
divide the ten-thousand-dollar reward, because I'm quite sure we can
land those chaps."

"What's your plan?" asked Anderson, turning a little pale at the
thought. Before going any further into the matter, Gregory asked
Anderson if he would sign a paper agreeing to divide the reward equally
with him. This point was easily settled, and then the insurance man
unfolded his secret.

"I have a straight tip from a friend in New York and he wouldn't steer
me wrong. The truth about him is this: He used to work for our company,
but took some money that didn't belong to him. It got him a sentence in
the pen. He's just out, and he knows a whole lot about these robbers.
Some of them were in Sing Sing with him. The leader wanted him to join
the gang and he half-way consented. His duty is to keep the gang posted
on what the officers in New York are doing. See?"

"Of course," breathed Anderson.

"Well, my friend wants to reform. All he asks is a slice of the reward.
If we capture the gang, we can afford to give him a thousand or so,
can't we?"

"Of course," was the dignified response.

"Here's his letter to me. I'll read it to you." In the gathering dusk
Gregory read the