him of Ruthven's private mark, and McKenzie duplicates it on the other package.
- Wednesday, nine-thirty a m. Package weighed again. Six pounds.
- Wednesday, ten-thirty a.m. Reeves drives to station with outgoing freight for Seventeen. McKenzie there with a satchel, ostensibly to meet Lois. Lois had gone east at eight-thirty, that morning, to catch Seventeen at Williamsburg, and ride back with Weasel Morrison, so as to explain the situation to him. While Reeves is unloading wagon, McKenzie exchanges counterfeit parcel with added revolver, putting package containing boots into satchel. Hands this satchel to Morrison when train halts, and Lois gets off. Mails his letter on the train—the one for Jenkins, the deputy sheriff at Dry Wash.
- Wednesday, ten-fifty a.m. Reeves telephones from station that package weighs ten pounds.
- Note: Mighty good thing for me that the "canister" was loaded with blanks.
"That," Ruthven remarked, after he had scribbled out this summary, "gets this series of substitutions in black and white, so far as McKenzie and Lois are concerned. Now, what happened after that? Let's see."
Picking up the pencil, he reflected for a few moments, and went on with his writing:
- On Seventeen. Train halts at Bluffton by order of division superintendent. Morrison learns an extra is coming after Seventeen with Durfee and Harrington and others. Gets worried about package in express car. Goes forward, mingling with other passengers who have got off the train during the wait. While messenger is busy, exchanges packages through open door of car, leaving six-pound parcel in place of the one weighing ten pounds. When extra arrives, package in express car is found to weigh six pounds, and to contain tan bluchers for Barton. Morrison sees and recognizes Ruthven from car window. Watches while Ruthven jumps on the train. Knows he is after him, and that he must get rid of burglar tools. Goes forward, enters express car, and bowls over messenger from behind. Exchanges burglar tools for six-pound package, and jumps off train just before it reaches Okaday.
Leaning back in his chair, Ruthven studied this last effort. It was one of analysis, pure and simple. In the light of what he had learned from McKenzie, he believed he had hit off the course of events pretty accurately.
"Now," he asked himself, "what about the attempted holdup on the way to the ranch? Ah, I have it!" Again he seized the pencil and wrote:
- Thursday forenoon. Nate Wylie sick with mountain fever and unable to make the trip to Dry Wash. William Martin acts as substitute freighter. Morrison's plans all up in the air. Only thing he can do is to pull off a holdup in making exchange of package with boots for package with burglar's tools. His pal helps him. Horses run away. Package spilled out with rest of freight in the mountain wagon. Morrison picks up package with tools and puts down package with boots—breaking wrapper and box to make it appear as though package had received rough treatment in spill from wagon.
"By Jove, I've got it!" exclaimed Ruthven, in a glow over his work. "I have followed those two packages, in all their changes and adventures, from the time the boots were handed over the counter of the express office in Burt City. How blamed simple it all is, when one puts it down in black and white! And yet, what a brain twister when one hasn't got the key to the mystery. I"
He broke off his reflections as the tragic side of the matter forced itself on his attention. His heart sank as he thought of McKenzie and Lois. When Weasel Morrison talked against McKenzie, the Honorable Arlo McKenzie, member of the legislature, the junior partner in the firm of Long & McKenzie, what would happen? Ruthven, who had a big heart and was kindly and considerate to all, felt a clammy hand gripping his brain. How would Summerfield behave toward Lois, when the dread truth came out?
"I think Joe is a real man," Ruthven reflected, "and I'm sure that he'll act like a man. He won't give up the girl, no matter what Weasel Morrison says. What a scoundrel Morrison is, anyhow! McKenzie is caught in a web similar to the one that entangled Mill-
