“Well,” answered the cowboy, “when Levitt took his header from that runabout of his, on the Jericho Pike, a long yellow envelope dropped from his pocket----” “I breathe again!” interjected the colonel. “You found it, McGlory?” “That’s the size of it.” “And you read the contents of that yellow envelope?” “Matt and I wanted to find out the name of the man who owned the runabout. That’s how we happened to read the ‘private report.’ It wasn’t good reading, colonel.” “It was for private perusal by the inner circle, my son,” said the colonel. “Levitt and I were vastly worried over the loss of that report. I will trouble you for it, my boy.” The colonel reached out his hand. McGlory took the envelope from his pocket, and was about to pass it over when Matt reached forward and caught it from his fingers. “I beg your pardon,” said Matt, “but I was the one who found this envelope. I gave it to Joe when I threw off my coat, east of Krug’s Corner, to tinker with the runabout. I am going to take care of it.” All four were on their feet--Matt determined, McGlory puzzled and bewildered, the colonel wrathful, and Levitt with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. CHAPTER VI. A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. “Well, by gad!” exclaimed the colonel, realizing suddenly what sort of a lad he had to deal with in Matt King. “What’s that for, pard?” inquired McGlory. “It don’t belong to you, or to McGlory, or to any one but me!” said Levitt. “If you try to keep that document, King, you’re nothing more nor less than a thief.” The red ran into Matt’s face. “Softly, softly,” breathed the colonel. “This talk of thieves, Levitt, is a little premature. Matt King is a friend of McGlory’s, and he could not be that if there was any yellow streak in his nature. No, by gad! We are all gentlemen here. King, sir, if that manila envelope contains papers belonging to our mutual friend, Levitt, you will return them to him, will you not?” “After a while,” said Matt; “not immediately.” The colonel seemed thunderstruck. “You hear?” muttered Levitt, between his teeth. “He’s trying to play double with us, Billings! Those papers mean a whole lot to me, and I’m going to have them!” The colonel’s mood underwent a change. Attempts at conciliation having failed, there now remained nothing but vigorous action. His first move was to pass rapidly to the door, turn a key in the lock, and drop the key into his pocket. Then he once more approached Matt. “May I inquire, young man,” he bristled, “what you mean by this most remarkable conduct?” “I’m trying to protect Joe and myself,” Matt answered. “Protect? Protect yourself and Joe against what, in Heaven’s name?” “Against being drawn into a criminal act by you and Levitt, and being compelled to take the consequences.” “He talks like a fool!” snapped the mining engineer. “He is misinformed, that’s all,” said the colonel.