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The deputy was found a few hours later bound and gagged, lying in the woods along the Santa Fe, not far froood start, and doubtless took advantage of it to return to Chicago, where a man of his stamp could find more numerous and safer retreats than elsewhere

There was much more--a detailed account of the crime for the commission of which Billy had been sentenced, a full and co years of transgression, and, at last, the mention of a five-hundred-dollar reward that the authorities had offered for information that would lead to his arrest

When Billy had concluded the reading he refolded the paper and placed it in a pocket of the coat hanging upon the foot of the bed A ht hi often at his companion, and always there came to his e's pocket--the mention of the five-hundred-dollar reward

"Five hundred dollars," thought Billy, "is a lot o' coin I just wonder now," and he let his eyes wander to his coht read upon his face the purpose which lay in the man's heart "He don't look it; but five hundred dollars is a lot o' coin--fer a bo, and wotinell did he have that article hid in his clothes fer? That's wot I'd like to know I guess it's up to me to blow"

All the recently acquired content which had been Billy's since he had coe and the two hadshaded country roadsides, or paused beside cool brooklets thatmeadoas dissipated in the instant that he had realized the nature of the article his co froht of pursuit or capture had arisen to perplex hi out there a hills, of woods, and plain that there had been induced within him an unconscious assurance that no one could find hi a plain clothes man from detective headquarters around the next bend of a peaceful Missouri road was so preposterous and incongruous that Billy had found it iht

He never before had been in the country districts of his native land To hio or New York or Milwaukee, the three cities hich he was ained ales of far-away Yoka There had been no detective sergeants there--unquestionably there could be none here Detective sergeants were indigenous to the soil that grew corner saloons and poolrooms, and to none other--as well expect to discover one of Oda Yorian Boulevard, as to look for one of those others along a farm-bordered road