The chief listened for a few minutes, asked several questions and then, placing a fat hand over the transmitter, he wheeled about toward Flannagan.

“Well,” he said, “I guess I got something for you at last.  There’s a bo on the wire that says he’s just seen your man down near Shawnee.  He wants to know if you’ll split the reward with him.”

Flannagan yawned and stretched.

“I suppose,” he said, ironically, “that if I go down there I’ll find he’s corraled a nigger,” and he looked sorrowfully at the three specimens before him.

“I dunno,” said the chief.  “This guy says he knows Byrne well, an’ that he’s got it in for him.  Shall I tell him you’ll be down—­and split the reward?”

“Tell him I’ll be down and that I’ll treat him right,” replied Flannagan, and after the chief had transmitted the message, and hung up the receiver:  “Where is this here Shawnee, anyhow?”

“I’ll send a couple of men along with you.  It isn’t far across the line, an’ there won’t be no trouble in getting back without nobody knowin’ anything about it—­if you get him.”

“All right,” said Flannagan, his visions of five hundred already dwindled to a possible one.

It was but a little past one o’clock that a touring car rolled south out of Kansas City with Detective Sergeant Flannagan in the front seat with the driver and two burly representatives of Missouri law in the back.

CHAPTER V

ONE TURN DESERVES ANOTHER

When the two tramps approached the farmhouse at which Billy had purchased food a few hours before the farmer’s wife called the dog that was asleep in the summer kitchen and took a shotgun down from its hook beside the door.

From long experience the lady was a reader of character—­ of hobo character at least—­and she saw nothing in the appearance of either of these two that inspired even a modicum of confidence.  Now the young fellow who had been there earlier in the day and who, wonder of wonders, had actually paid for the food she gave him, had been of a different stamp.  His clothing had proclaimed him a tramp, but, thanks to the razor Bridge always carried, he was clean shaven.  His year of total abstinence had given him clear eyes and a healthy skin.  There was a freshness and vigor in his appearance and carriage that inspired confidence rather than suspicion.

She had not mistrusted him; but these others she did mistrust.  When they asked to use the telephone she refused and ordered them away, thinking it but an excuse to enter the house; but they argued the matter, explaining that they had discovered an escaped murderer hiding near—­by—­in fact in her own meadow—­and that they wished only to call up the Kansas City police.

Finally she yielded, but kept the dog by her side and the shotgun in her hand while the two entered the room and crossed to the telephone upon the opposite side.