t rushing away into
the darkness.

CHAPTER VI.

DYKE DARREL'S DANGER.

Martin Skidway was an old offender, and through the efforts of Dyke
Darrel he and his uncle had been detected in crime and sent to the
Missouri State prison for a term of years. It was a mere accident that
the detective came upon the escaped young counterfeiter, or rather it
was through the young villain's own foolhardiness that he was again in
durance vile.

"I will not serve my time out, you can bet high on that," asserted the
young prisoner in a confident tone.

Dyke Darrel more than half suspected that the young counterfeiter knew
something of the late crime on the midnight express, and during the
ride to St. Louis he did all that he could to worm a confession from
the prisoner.

"It is possible that you may get your freedom at an early day," said
the detective. "I have heard of men turning State's evidence, and
profiting by it."

"I suppose so."

"I would advise you to think on this, Martin Skidway."

"Why should I think on it? Do you think I'm a fool, Dyke Darrel?"

"Not quite," and the detective smiled. "I know you have been pretty
sharp, young man, but not keen enough to escape punishment. You have
five years yet to serve, at the end of which time you may be arrested
and hung for another crime."

"You are giving me wind now."

"I am not. A terrible crime was committed four and twenty hours since,
and on this road; a midnight crime that the whole country will work to
punish. It will we impossible for the express robbers to escape."

"You are a braggart!"

"I do not say that _I_ will be the one to bring these villains to
justice, but I do say that justice will be done, and I expect to see
the murderers of Arnold Nicholson hung." The keen eyes of Dyke Darrel
fixed themselves on the face of his prisoner, with a penetrating
sharpness that fairly made the fellow squirm in his seat. On more than
one occasion had the railroad detective brought confession from the
lips of guilt, through the magnetism of his terrible glance.

He tried his powers on the man at his side, and found him yielding to
the pressure, when Skidway suddenly turned his face to the window, and
refused to encounter the gaze of his captor.

By this means he was able to defy the magnetic powers of the
detective.

"Martin Skidway, you may as well admit that you know something of this
latest villainy. Even if you were not connected with it, you know WHO