Jack of the Pony Express; Or, The Young Rider of the Mountain Trails Read online

  CHAPTER VII

  THE STRANGERS AGAIN

  "Was he listening?" asked Jack of the miner.

  "It rather looks so," was the answer. "I thought I heard some one movingabout there as I was talking to you, and I wanted to make sure."

  "Well, you did all right," replied Jack, grimly. "Do you know who he is?"

  "No, but--"

  "Say! Wait a minute!" suddenly exclaimed Jack. He had but a glimpse of theman's back, but there seemed to be something familiar about the manner inwhich the man walked off. Like a flash it came to Jack.

  "I think I know him--at least I've seen him before," he said hurriedly toMr. Argent. "I'm going to find out for sure."

  In a flash Jack had sprung over the porch railing, and was rapidly runningalongside the porch on the soft grass. He did this in order to get ahead ofthe retreating man. Had he remained on the porch Jack's footfalls on theboards would have given the alarm.

  As it was, he was able to get ahead of the eavesdropper, and obtain a viewof his face. And Jack was not mistaken in his surmise. It was one of thetwo men who had annoyed Jennie in the post office. The fellow seemedstartled on confronting our hero.

  "So you're here now, eh?" asked Jack.

  "Well, is that any of your business?" was the challenge. "Isn't this a freecountry?"

  "Of course," Jack answered. "But even in a free country there are certainlaws about causing trouble, and listening to private talk."

  "Who was listening?" demanded the fellow.

  "You were!" Jack exclaimed.

  At that moment Mr. Argent came sauntering along the piazza. The fellowturned sharply. Neither appeared to recognize the other.

  "This chap is the same one I thought he was," explained Jack, "It was heand a partner of his who made the fuss in the Golden Crossing office, Mr.Argent. If you could find Mr. Perkfeld we might make a charge against him."

  The man seemed disconcerted at this.

  "Charge? What charge?" he blustered.

  "You'll find out soon enough," Jack replied.

  He started off, thinking Mr. Argent would keep the man there until Mr.Perkfeld could be summoned. But the fellow made a sudden dash, leaped tothe saddle of a horse that was near the end of the porch, and was off downthe road on a gallop.

  As he rode off he was joined by another man, who also made a hurried exitfrom the hotel and leaped to the back of his horse. But he was not so quickbut what Jack recognized him as the other man who had annoyed the youngpostmistress of Golden Crossing.

  "Well, they got away!" Jack said, regretfully, as he came back to Mr.Argent.

  "Perhaps it's just as well," answered the miner. "I don't know that youcould have really held them on the charge of being impudent and rough toMiss Blake, and you tell me that is all they did."

  "Yes, that's so. But what about one of them listening to what you weretelling me about the secret mine."

  "Oh, bless you, that doesn't worry me!" said Mr. Argent, with a laugh."I'll defy anybody to find that mine without the proper directions, and Idon't intend to tell even you those, Jack--at least not yet. I reallydidn't let out any information of any account, and what that chapoverheard, if he heard anything, won't do him any good. I'm not worrying,but, of course, I don't like to have strangers sneak up and listen to whatI say. But no great harm has been done."

  "I'm glad of it. And perhaps it's just as well we didn't have themarrested. It would make it unpleasant for Jennie to be brought into court."

  "That's right, Jack. Well, the fellows got away, so we won't worry aboutthem. Now take these letters, and I needn't tell you to be careful ofthem."

  "I sure will look out for them," Jack promised, earnestly.

  "And just mention them to your cousin at the other end of the line," wenton the miner. "Have her use a little extra care."

  "I'll tell her," promised Jack.

  "Another matter," went on the miner, and this time he lowered his voice toa whisper as if afraid of being overheard. "These letters aren't soimportant as their answers will be."

  "What do you mean?" asked Jack.

  "I mean that we expect some legal documents by mail, after these lettershave reached those for whom they are intended," answered the miner. "Thereplies will be very important, and I wouldn't want them to fall into thehands of those who are trying to get the property away from us.

  "So if you'll just mention to your cousin to bear in mind when any letterslike these come for me that they're important, and if you'll remember thatyourself, Jack, why, we'll be much obliged to you."

  "I sure will be on the watch," promised Jack. "They'll be registered, ofcourse."

  "Oh sure! But I don't imagine anything will happen to them. For no one canknow exactly when they will come. Only be on the watch for them."

  "I certainly will! Now if you'll give me those I'll put them in a safeplace."

  Mr. Argent handed over the missives, and Jack put them in his insidepocket, and then used a safety pin to close the opening.

  "Safety first!" he exclaimed with a laugh.

  "That's right," assented the miner.

  As Jack rode off on the back of his pony, which was becoming quite famousbecause of his speed and the regularity with which he made the trips, theyoung express rider thought of the two strangers who had suddenlyreappeared after having annoyed Jennie.

  "I just wonder who they are, and what their game is," he reflected. "Afterall, maybe it would have been a good thing if we had caught them. I guessJennie would be game enough to go to court and testify. But I don't know onjust what charge we could have held them."

  "Anyhow, we haven't got 'em, so perhaps it's all for the best. But I surewill be on the watch for them again. And I'll have to be on the lookout forthe replies to these letters. Well, it's all in the game," Jack reflected."Dad probably has gone through the same, and worse, maybe, and he neverbacked down. I've got to keep up his reputation, if I'm doing his work. Itwould be fine, too, if I could find some way of proving that he wasn't atfault in that Harrington matter. But I suppose that's too much to expect."

  Thus reflecting, Jack rode on.