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The wo just a little The shock had been almost too much even for her stolid nerves Presently she turned her eyes toward Billy

"You are a good boy," she said, "and you coot all my money It's in their clothes," and then a look of terror overspread her face For the otten what she had heard about this man--that he was an escaped convict--a convicted murderer Was she any better off now that she had let him know about the money than she ith the others after they discovered it?

At her words Bridge kneeled and searched the two tramps He counted the bills as he removed them from their pockets

"Eleven hundred?" he asked, and handed the money to Billy

"Eleven hundred, yes," breathed the woazed upon Billy's face She didn't care for the money any more--they could have it all if they would only let her live

Billy turned toward her and held the rureen mass out

"Here," he said; "but that's an awful lot o' coin for a woht not to a-done it"

She took the ers It see it to her

"But I knew it," she said finally

"Knehat?" asked Billy

"I knew you was a good boy They said you was a murderer"

Billy's brows contracted, and an expression of pain crossed his face

"How did they come to say that?" he asked

"I heard them telephonin' to Kansas City to the police," she replied, and then she sat bolt upright "The detectives are on their way here now," she almost screamed, "and even if you ARE a et you after what you have done for ood boy My boy would be about as old and as big as you by now--if he lives He ran away a long tio--maybe you've met him His name's Eddie--Eddie Shorter I ain't heard from him fer years

"No," she went on, "I don't believe what they said--you got too good a face; but if you are a et out now before they co direction"