n before, and it would be quite impossible to loosen the
rope or free himself without the help of the knife. His hope of getting
loose during the night and killing Luke was at an end.

"Did he say anything while I was upstairs?" asked Luke.

"Yes."

"What was it?"

"He wanted me to set him free."

"Did he offer you money?"

"No, but he threatened that he would some time take my life."

"He is a terrible man!" said Mrs. Mason, shuddering. "I shall not feel
safe to-night with him in the house."

"I don't propose to let him stay in the house all night."

The prisoner, the farmer and his wife looked at Luke inquiringly.

"I think, farmer," said Luke, "you'd better harness up and we will take
our friend to the jail in Crampton."

"What, to-night?"

"Yes; the sooner he is safely disposed of the better; at any rate we will
have shifted the responsibility to the authorities."

"Yes, it will be better," said Mrs. Mason in a tone of relief.

The buggy was made ready, and the outlaw was packed in the back part of
it. Toward nightfall the warden of the prison at Crampton was startled by
the arrival of the farmer and Luke bringing with them the notorious outlaw
whose name was in every mouth. He hardly knew whether to be sorry or glad,
for no prison yet had been secure enough to hold him.

"I will leave my name," said Luke, "and I shall hereafter claim the reward
for his capture."

CHAPTER XIV

ERNEST HAS AN ADVENTURE

Luke Robbins remained at the farmhouse till the middle of the next day. At
that hour the sum of money which Mason had withdrawn from the bank was
transferred to the party for whom it was intended, and Luke's mission was
at an end.

He received from the farmer the stipulated five dollars, and started on
his return to Emmonsville, Ezekiel Mason driving him the greater part of
the way.

Luke arrived at the bank half-an-hour before it closed and reported his
success, including the capture of John Fox. He was congratulated on his
success, but noticed that the officers of the bank looked grave.

"Is anything the matter?" he asked.

"Yes," answered the cashier. "At one o'clock yesterday we sent your young
friend Ernest with a thousand dollars in United States bonds to the bank
at Lee's Falls, and we have received no tidings from him."

"What do you fear?" asked Luke hurriedly.

"We fear that he may have been captured by some of the Fox gang, and be in
confinement, or else----"

"What?"