position, to search this car."

"I don't need no instructin' in my dooty as sheriff," retorted
the official. "But a bigger dooty is what is owin' to the
feminine sex. When a female is in question, a gentleman, Mr.
Camp,--yes, sir, a gentleman,--is in dooty bound to be perlite."

"Politeness be ---- ----!" swore Camp.

"Git as angry as yer ---- please," roared the sheriff,
wrathfully, "but ---- me if any ---- ---- cuss has a right to use
such ---- ---- talk in the presence of a lady!"

CHAPTER XIV

"LISTENERS NEVER HEAR ANYTHING GOOD"

Before I had ceased chuckling over the sheriff's indignant
declaration of the canons of etiquette, I heard Mr. Cullen's
voice demanding to know what the trouble was, and it was quickly
explained to him that I had escaped. He at once gave them
permission to search his car, and went in with the sheriff and
the cowboys. Apparently Madge went in too, for in a moment I
heard Camp say, in a low voice,--

"Two of you fellows get down below the car and crawl in under the
truck where you can't be seen. Evidently that cuss isn't here,
but he's likely to come by and by. If so, nab him if you can, and
if you can't, fire two shots. Mosely, are you heeled?"

"Do I chaw terbaccy?" asked Mosely, ironically, clearly insulted
at the suggestion that he would travel without a gun.

"Then keep a sharp lookout, and listen to everything you hear,
especially the whereabouts of some letters. If you can spot their
lay, crawl out and get word to me at once. Now, under you go
before they come out."

I heard two men drop into the gravel close alongside of where I
lay, and then crawl under the truck of 218. They weren't a moment
too soon, for the next instant I heard two or three people jump
on to the platform, and Albert Cullen's voice drawl, "Aw, by
Jove, what's the row?" Camp not enlightening them, Lord Ralles
suggested that they get on the car to find out, and the three did
so. A moment later the sheriff came to the door and told Camp
that I was not to be found.

"I told yer this was the last place to look for the cuss, Mr.
Camp," he said. "We've just discomforted the lady for nothin'."

"Then we must search elsewhere," spoke up Camp. "Come on, boys."

The sheriff turned and made another elaborate apology for having
had to trouble the lady.

I heard Madge tell him that he hadn't troubled her at all, and
then, as the cowboys and Camp walked off, she added, "And, Mr.
Gunton, I want to tha