I was fooled by his
disguise, and he gave the word, and I thought sure that Richmond had
sent him." Dicky had dropped all banter, and was speaking with the tone
of sincerity.
"Well, it's all right now, but I don't want any more slips of that
sort. Who was hurt?"
"Trent got a bad cut in the side. One of the Terrill gang was shot. I
heard it was only through the arm or leg, I forget which."
I was consumed with the desire to ask what had become of Borton's, but
I suspected that I was supposed to know, and prudently kept the
question to myself.
"Well, come along," said I. "The room will do well enough now. Oh,
here's a ten, and I'll let you know as soon as I get the rest. Where
can I find you?"
"At the old place," said Dicky; "three twenty-six."
"Clay?" I asked in desperation. Dicky gave me a wondering look as
though he suspected my mind was going.
"No--Geary. What's the matter with you?"
"Oh, to be sure. Geary Street, of course. Well, let me know if anything
turns up. Keep a close watch on things."
Dicky looked at me in some apparent perplexity as I walked up the stair
to my Clay Street office, but gave only some laughing answer as he
turned back.
But I was in far from a laughing humor myself. The problem of paying
the men raised fresh prospects of trouble, and I reflected grimly that
if the money was not found I might be in more danger from my unpaid
mercenaries than from the enemy.
Ten o'clock passed, and eleven, with no sign from Doddridge Knapp, and
I wondered if the news I had carried him of the activities of Terrill
and of Decker had disarranged his plans.
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