ur
short and brilliant career as a railroader has come to a disgraceful end
more quickly than even I suspected it would."

"Do you mean to say that you think I stole those diamonds?" demanded Rod,
hotly.

"Oh, no," answered Snyder. "I don't say anything about it. The
circumstances of the case speak so plainly for themselves that my
testimony would be superfluous. Now, Mr. Sheriff, as our business here
seems to be concluded, I think we will bid you good-by and be moving
along."

"You needn't bid me good-by yet," responded the sheriff, "for I have
decided to go with you."

"I doubt if I shall be able to find room for you in my special car," said
Snyder, who for several reasons was not desirous of the sheriff's company.

"Very well. Then you will be obliged to dispense with Mr. Blake's company
also, for in view of the recent developments in this case I feel that I
ought not to lose sight of him just yet."

CHAPTER XXXI.

ONE HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR!

The sheriff's concluding argument at once prevailed. Snyder was so eager
to witness his rival's humiliation and to hear the Superintendent
pronounce his sentence of dismissal from the company's employ, that he
would have sacrificed much of his own dignity rather than forego that
triumph. As matters now stood he could not see how Rod, even though he
should not be convicted of stealing the missing diamonds, could clear
himself from the suspicion of having done so.

Neither could poor Rod see how it was to be accomplished. For mile after
mile of that long ride back toward New York he sat in silence, puzzling
over the situation. In spite of the attempts of the sheriff and Conductor
Tobin to cheer him up, he grew more and more despondent at the prospect of
having to go through life as one who is suspected. It was even worse than
being locked into a prison cell, for he had known that could not last
long, while this new trouble seemed interminable.

The lad's sorrowful reflections were interrupted by an ejaculation from
the sheriff who sat beside him. On that gentleman's knee lay an open
watch, at which he had been staring intently and in silence for some time.
He had also done some figuring on a pad of paper. Finally he uttered a
prolonged "Wh-e-w!"

Both Rod and Conductor Tobin looked at him inquiringly.

"Do you know," he said, "that we have just covered a mile in forty-two
seconds, and that we are travelling at the rate of eighty-five miles an
hour?"

"I s