arefully, I
took two of the posse and rode over to Moran's Point. Sure
enough, there were Mr. Cullen, Albert, and Captain Ackland. They
gave a shout at seeing me, and even before I had reached them
they called to know how I could come so soon, and if I had caught
the robbers. Mr. Cullen started to tell his pleasure at my
rejoining the party, but my expression made him pause, and it
seemed to dawn on all three that the Winchester across my saddle,
and the cowboys' hands resting nonchalantly on the revolvers in
their belts, had a meaning.

"Mr. Cullen," I explained, "I've got a very unpleasant job on
hand, which I don't want to make any worse than need be. Every
fact points to your party as guilty of holding up the train last
night and stealing those letters. Probably you weren't all
concerned, but I've got to go on the assumption that you are all
guilty, till you prove otherwise."

"Aw, you're joking," drawled Albert.

"I hope so," I said, "but for the present I've got to be English
and treat the joke seriously."

"What do you want to do?" asked Mr. Cullen.

"I don't wish to arrest you gentlemen unless you force me to," I
said, "for I don't see that it will do any good. But I want you
to return to camp with us."

They assented to that, and, single file, we rode back. When there
I told each that he must be searched, to which they submitted at
once. After that we went through their baggage. I wasn't going to
have the sheriff or cowboys tumbling over Miss Cullen's clothes,
so I looked over her bag myself. The prettiness and daintiness of
the various contents were a revelation to me, and I tried to put
them back as neatly as I had found them, but I didn't know much
about the articles, and it was a terrible job trying to fold up
some of the things. Why, there was a big pink affair, lined with
silk, with bits of ribbon and lace all over it, which nearly
drove me out of my head, for I would have defied mortal man to
pack it so that it shouldn't muss. I had a funny little feeling
of tenderness for everything, which made fussing over it all a
pleasure, even while I felt all the time that I was doing a sneak
act and had really no right to touch her belongings. I didn't
find anything incriminating, and the posse reported the same
result with the other baggage. If the letters were still in
existence, they were either concealed somewhere or were in the
possession of the party in the Canyon. Telling the sheriff to keep
thos