ly upset all their hopes by saying that he
had long been expecting such a calamity, and that nothing could be done.

"They took the very night when I was not here to pertect her," he
lamented. "It shows that they been a-watchin' me all along. The job was
did by persons who was in the employ of her family, an' she has been
carried off secretly to keep me from findin' out who and what her
parents were. Don't ye see? Her mother--or father, fer that
matter--couldn't afford to come right out plain an' say they wanted
their child after all these years. The only way was to take her away
without givin' themselves away. It's been the plan all along. There
ain't no use huntin' fer her, gentlemen. She's in New York by this time,
an' maybe she's ready fer a trip to Europe."

"But I should think she'd telegraph to you," said Blootch.

"Telegraph yer granny! Do you s'pose they'd 'a' stole her if they
intended to let her telegraph to anybody? Not much. They're spiritin'
her away until her estate's settled. After a while it will all come out,
an' you'll see if I ain't right. But she's gone. They've got her away
from me an'--an' we got to stand it, that's all. I--I--cain't bear to
think about it. It's broke my heart mighty ne--near. Don't mind me
if--I--cry, boys. You would, too, if you was me."

As the committee departed soon after without any plan of action arising
from the interview with the dejected marshal, it may be well to acquaint
the reader with the history of the abduction, as told by Roscoe Crow and
his bosom friend, Bud Long, thoroughly expurgated.

According to instructions, no one in the Crow family mentioned the
strange disappearance of Elsie Banks to Rosalie. Nor was she told of the
pursuit by the marshal and his posse. The girl, far from being afflicted
with a fever, really now kept in her room by grief over the departure of
her friend and companion. She was in tears all that night and the next
day, suffering intensely in her loss. Rosalie did not know that the
teacher was to leave Tinkletown surreptitiously until after the
spelling-bee. The sly, blushing announcement came as a shock, but she
was loyal to her friend, and not a word in exposure escaped from her
lips. Of course, she knew nothing of the sensational developments that
followed the uncalled-for flight of Elsie Banks.

Shortly after the supper dishes had been cleared away Rosalie came
downstairs and announced that she was going over to read to old Mrs.
L