Down the Slope Part 38

"Don't be downhearted, lad," Bill said, with an attempt at cheerfulness.

"We'll stick by you no matter what happens."

"I want you to tell me the whole story," the lawyer interrupted.

"Describe every little particular of the journey."

"There isn't much to tell. I got the money, an' walked as fast as I could to a place on the mountain, where I laid down to rest, an' fell asleep. When I woke up the package was gone."

"Did you see anyone who might be following you?"

"No sir."

"Whom did you meet after leaving the town?"

"Not a single person."

"Are you certain the money was in your pocket when you laid down?"

"I felt of it a little while before that."

The lawyer continued to question Sam for a long while, but without gaining any new information, and even the boy's friends were forced to admit that the story was a strange one.

"I'd say it was thin if I didn't know Sam so well," Bill mused as the party left the jail after promising the prisoner they would return at the earliest opportunity.

"The boy couldn't 'a took the money, that's certain; but how he contrived to get rid of it beats me."

"It is possible we may learn something to our advantage before the trial can be held," the lawyer suggested in a tone which to Fred sounded the reverse of cheerful; "but I think it very important you should see Mr.

Wright without delay."

"Joe shall go to New York."

"How could I find him there?"

"Fred and me'll get right back to Farley's, ask for his address, an'

send it to you by telegraph."

"That is a very good idea. A train leaves in less than an hour," the lawyer said approvingly. "Decide where the message shall be sent, and it will be there before he arrives."

Joe was unwilling to take so much responsibility upon himself, and urged that he did not look fit to visit the city; but Bill overruled all his objections.

"You're the one to go, so that settles it," the miner said as he pulled out his wallet. "Here's what money I've got, an' if more's needed let me know."

"What am I to say to the superintendent if I see him?"

"Urge that no further steps be taken against the boy. After what you say he did during the riot the officers of the company should be lenient."

"But that kind of talk sounds as if you believed he'd stole the money,"

Bill exclaimed in surprise.

"The case looks very bad for him, and if it should be called up before we found some evidence in his favor he would most certainly be convicted."

Sam's friends gazed at each other in astonishment. That the lawyer employed to defend him should thus intimate he was guilty almost shook their faith in the boy's innocence.

"You must go all the same," Bill said, after a long pause, "an' me an'

Fred will toddle back home."

The adieus consisted only of the words "good-bye," and then the miner and the boy turned their faces toward Farley's once more.

"It seems as if finding the coal was bad luck for us," Fred said when they were on the mountain. "If it hadn't been for that, poor Sam never would have thought of walking home."

"I don't go very much on what folks call luck, lad. The thing was bound to come whether you saw the vein or not, so we must buck agin it."

"The lawyer thinks Sam stole the money."

"An' more'n he'll believe the same if somethin' don't turn up."

"I can't fancy what could happen to help him unless the thief himself came forward to tell the whole story."

"It does look kinder black, but we mustn't lose heart."

"Of course this settles our chances of buying the land."

"Nothin' of the kind. My day is broke up now, an' I'll spend the rest of it lookin around a bit."

"Sam will need all the money we've got to spend."

"I've a little laid by for a rainy day, an' with what Joe can raise we oughter pull through on both jobs."

On arriving at the spur another search was made with the same result as before, and then the two hurried on, sending a telegram to Joe immediately after reaching the town.

CHAPTER XXI

AMATEUR DETECTIVES

Fred was forced to attend to his duties at the store immediately after the return from Black town, and while so engaged could not fail to hear the many comments upon the case.

The news of the alleged robbery had spread with wonderful rapidity, and the majority of the miners believed Sam to be guilty.

Twice during the afternoon the cas.h.i.+er questioned Fred closely as to what the prisoner meant when he spoke of their desire to buy land, but despite the coaxing and even threats he refused to divulge the secret.

"If it can't be helped I'll tell Mr. Wright, but n.o.body else," the boy repeated, and further than this he positively refused to speak.

"Then it's time you went home," the official finally said, in an angry tone. "You know so much about this thing that I don't believe it's safe to have you where there are many valuable things which might be stolen."

"If you think I'm a thief, why not send me to jail with Sam?"