ng, this sop to the love of Niles for
flattery was thoroughly effective. Charlie was using the same sort of
weapons that the other side had employed. And Niles held out his hand.

"I'll take the chance," he said. "I'll see that those fellows stay in
jail, Mr. Jamieson. As I told Miss Mercer, I was sure from the
beginning that you were all right. May I count on you for aid when the
case comes up for trial?"

"You may--and I'll give you a bigger prisoner than you ever thought of
catching," said Charlie.

CHAPTER VI

BESSIE KING'S PLUCK

"We've got them, I think," Jamieson said to Eleanor Mercer and the two
girls after his talk with District Attorney Niles. "There's just one
thing; I don't understand how Holmes can be so reckless as to take a
chance when he must remember that he hasn't got a leg left to stand on."

"He probably doesn't know that we know anything about it," said Bessie.
"And I guess he thinks that if we had had that note all this time we'd
have produced it before, so that he thought it was safe to act."

"You're probably right, Bessie," said Eleanor. "I thought that letter
would be useful, Charlie, when we took it from that gypsy. I don't
suppose I really had any right to keep it, but just then, you see,
Andrew and the other guides were the only people around, and they would
never question anything I did--they'd just be sure I was right."

"Good thing they do, for you usually are," laughed Charlie. "I've
given up expecting to catch you, Nell. You guess right too often. And
this time you've certainly called the turn. Niles is convinced. All
I'm afraid of now is that he won't be able to hold his tongue."

"You want to surprise Mr. Holmes, then?"

"I certainly do. I'd give a hundred dollars right now to see his face
when I spring that letter and ask for a warrant for his arrest. Mind
you, I don't suppose for a minute we'll be able to do him any real
harm. He's got too much influence, altogether, with bigger people than
Niles and this judge here."

"You know I'm not very vindictive, Charlie, but I would like to see him
get the punishment he deserves. I'd much rather have them let those
poor gypsies off, if only they would put him in prison in their place.
I feel sorry for them--really, I do. It seems to me that they were
just led astray by a man who certainly should know better."

"That part of it's all right enough, Eleanor. But if one accepted the
excuse from every crimi