aten, and they all looked at me as I entered
as if I were the executioner come for victims.

"Mr. Cullen," I began, "I've been forced to do a lot of things
that weren't pleasant, but I don't want to do more than I need.
You're not the ordinary kind of road agents, and, as I presume
your address is known, I don't see any need of arresting one of
our own directors as yet. All I ask is that you give me your
word, for the party, that none of you will try to leave the
country."

"Certainly, Mr. Gordon," he responded. "And I thank you for your
great consideration."

"I shall have to report the case to our president, and, I
suppose, to the Postmaster-General, but I sha'n't hurry about
either. What they will do, I can't say. Probably you know how far
you can keep them quiet."

"I think the local authorities are all I have to fear, provided
time is given me."

"I have dismissed the sheriff and his posse, and I gave them a
hundred dollars for their work, and three bottles of pretty good
whiskey I had on my car. Unless they get orders from elsewhere,
you will not hear any further from them."

"You must let me reimburse what expense we have put you to, Mr.
Gordon. I only wish I could as easily repay your kindness."

Nodding my head in assent, as well as in recognition of his
thanks, I continued, "It was my duty, as an official of the K. &
A., to recover the stolen mail, and I had to do it."

"We understand that," said Mr. Cullen, "and do not for a moment
blame you."

"But," I went on, for the first time looking at Madge, "it is not
my duty to take part in a contest for control of the K. & A., and
I shall therefore act in this case as I should in any other loss
of mail."

"And that is--?" asked Frederic.

"I am about to telegraph for instructions from Washington," I
replied. "As the G. S. by trickery has dishonestly tied up some
of your proxies, they ought not to object if we do the same by
honest means; and I think I can manage so that Uncle Sam will
prevent those proxies from being voted at Ash Forks on Friday."

If a galvanic battery had been applied to the group about the
breakfast table, it wouldn't have made a bigger change. Madge
clapped her hands in joy; Mr. Cullen said "God bless you!" with
real feeling; Frederic jumped up and slapped me on the shoulder,
crying, "Gordon, you're the biggest old trump breathing;" while
Albert and the captain shook hands with each other, in evident
jubilation. Only Lord Rall