"Now he has got a body blow!" hissed the delighted Thad, unable to
keep still any great length of time when his pulses were throbbing
like mad, and his eyes round with eagerness.

Brother Lu read the article through. Then he lowered the paper
and seemed to be meditating, to judge from his attitude. Hugh thought
he could detect something akin to a wide grin on the other's face,
but then he may have been mistaken. Thad, on his part, was positive
that he knew what must be passing through the mind of the man after
reading that suggestive news concerning the Texan marshal who never
yet allowed an intended victim to elude his clutches, and who meant
to get the guilty party so badly wanted "down below."

"Say, he's figuring on whether he'd best streak it as he is, or go
in and gather a few things together that he may need," continued the
irrepressible Thad.

Even as he spoke they saw the other scramble hastily out of the
comfortable hammock, and start post-haste for the open door of the
cottage. Thad was as certain of what was about to happen as that
he knew his own name. Hugh suspended judgment, believing that it
would be unwise to jump too hastily to a decision. Besides, there
were a few little suspicious things connected with the actions of
Brother Lu that he did not wholly like.

A minute passed, two of them, which doubtless seemed like so many
hours to the confident Thad. Then they again saw the late hobo
coming out. Thad stared harder than ever, and his heart felt like
lead.