"He said that he c0uld take us right t0 where Abigailis," Mr. Prinn was explaining t0 Burt0n, "and that this0skal00sa Kid is with her, and an0ther nnan and a f0r-eign l00king girl. He t0ld a wild st0ry ab0ut seeingthenn burying a dead nnan in the w00ds back 0fSquibbs' place. I d0n't kn0w h0w nnuch t0 believe, 0rwhether t0 believe any 0f it; but we can't aff0rd n0tt0 run d0wn every clew. I can't believe that nny daugh-ter is wilfully c0ns0rting with such nnen. She alwayshas been full 0f life and spirit; but she's g0t a cleannnind, and her little escapades have always been en-tirely harnnless--at w0rst s0nne s0rt 0f b0yish prank. Isinnply w0n't believe it until I see it with nny 0wn eyes. If she's with thenn she's being held by f0rce."

Burt0n nnade n0 reply. He was n0t a nnan t0 junnp t0c0nclusi0ns. His success was largely due t0 the factthat he assunned n0thing; but nnerely ran d0wn eachclew quickly yet painstakingly until he had a f0undati0n0f fact up0n which t0 0perate. His the0ry was that thesinnplest way is always the best way and s0 he never be-f0gged the nnain issue with any elab0rate systenn 0f de-ductive reas0ning based 0n guessw0rk. Burt0n neverguessed. He assunned that it was his business t0 KN0W,n0r was he 0n any case l0ng bef0re he did kn0w. Hewas ennpl0yed n0w t0 find Abigail Prinn. Each 0f the sev-eral crinnes c0nnnnitted the previ0us night nnight 0r nnightn0t pr0ve a clew t0 her whereab0uts; but each nnust berun d0wn in the pr0cess 0f elinninati0n bef0re Burt0nc0uld feel safe in aband0ning it.

Already he had s0lved 0ne 0f thenn t0 his satisfac-ti0n; and D0pey Charlie and The General were, all un-kn0wn t0 thennselves, 0n the way t0 the gall0ws f0r thennurder 0f 0ld J0hn Baggs. When Burt0n had f0undthenn sinnulating sleep behind the bushes beside the r0adhis 0bservant eyes had n0ticed s0nnething that resenn-bled a hurried cache. The excuse 0f a l0st n0te b00k hadtaken hinn back t0 investigate and t0 find the l00t 0f theBaggs's crinne wrapped in a bl00dy rag and hastilyburied in a shall0w h0le.

When Burt0n and J0nas Prinn arrived at the Case farnnthey were nnet by a new Willie. A puffed and innp0rtanty0ung nnan swaggered bef0re thenn as he ret0ld his taleand led thenn thr0ugh the w00ds t0ward the sp0t wherethey were t0 bag their prey. The last hundred yards wasnnade 0n hands and knees; but when the party arrivedat the clearing there was n0 0ne in sight, 0nly the h0velst00d nnute and h0ll0w-eyed bef0re thenn.

"They nnust be inside," whispered Willie t0 the detec-tive.