to find out if a stranger
was seen in these parts on that night. The hotel registers in Boggs City
may give us a clew. If you don't mind, Mr. Crow, I'll have this New York
detective, who is coming up to-morrow, take a look into this phase of
the case. It won't interfere with your plans, will it?" asked Bonner,
always considerate of the feelings of the good-hearted, simple-minded
old marshal.

"Not at all, an' I'll help him all I can, sir," responded Anderson
magnanimously. "Here, Eva, here's a letter fer Rosalie. It's the second
she's had from New York in three days."

"It's from Miss Banks. They correspond, Anderson," said Mrs. Crow.

"And say, Eva, I've decided on one thing. We've got to calculate on
gittin' along without that thousand dollars after this."

"Why, An--der--son Crow!"

"Yep. We're goin' to find her folks, no matter if we do have to give up
the thousand. It's no more'n right. She'll be twenty-one in March, an'
I'll have to settle the guardeenship business anyhow. But, doggone it,
Mr. Bonner, she says she won't take the money we've saved fer her."

"She has told me as much, Mr. Crow. I think she's partly right. If she
takes my advice she will divide it with you. You are entitled to all of
it, you know--it was to be your pay--and she will not listen to your
plan to give all of it to her. Still, I feel that she should not be
penniless at this time. She may never need it--she certainly will not as
long as you are alive--but it seems a wise thing for her to be protected
against emergencies. But I dare say you can arrange that between
yourselves. I have no right to interfere. Was there any mail for me?"

"Yep. I almost fergot to fork it over. Here's one from your mother, I
figger. This is from your sister, an' here's one from your--your
sweetheart, I reckon. I deduce all this by sizin' up the--" and he went
on to tell how he reached his conclusions, all of which were wrong.
They were invitations to social affairs in Boston. "But I got somethin'
important to tell you, Mr. Bonner. I think a trap is bein' set fer me by
the desperadoes we're after. I guess I'm gittin' too hot on their trail.
I had an ananymous letter to-day."

"A what?"

"Ananymous letter. Didn't you ever hear of one? This one was writ fer
the express purpose of lurin' me into a trap. They want to git me out of
the way. But I'll fool 'em. I'll not pay any attention to it."

"Goodness, Anderson, I bet you'll be assassinated yet!" cried