"Where did he go, do you know?" asked the gentleman, while the lady's
eyes dropped wearily.

"Nobody knows--only been gone a day or two," replied the colonel.

The colonel had a well-developed heart, and, relying on what he
considered the correct idea of Jim Hockson's mission, ventured to say:

"He'll be back in a day or two--left all his things."

Suddenly Weasel raised his diminutive voice, and said:

"The detec--"

The determined grip of the colonel's hand interrupted the communication
which Weasel attempted to make, and the colonel hastily remarked:

"Ther's a feller gone for him that's sure to fetch him back."

"Who--who is it?" asked the young lady, hesitatingly.

"Well, ma'am," said the colonel, "as yer father--I s'pose,
leastways--said, 'tain't much use to give names in this part of the
world, but the name he's goin' by is Jim Hockson."

The young lady screamed and fell.


IV.