He unlocked the door, and they went into the room together. Closing and locking the door, Buffalo Bill hoisted one of the windows. “What’s that for?” said Dane. “The window is to let in a breath of air; the door is locked to keep out possible intruders.” “Oh!” “It startled you?” “Well, as you were unkind enough to suggest that I was a fraud of the first water, when I was here before, I didn’t know but you was getting ready to jump at me, and put up a holler for help to hold me.” Buffalo Bill laughed grimly. “You are nervous.” “Who wouldn’t be, knowing that Juniper Joe is walking the streets with two revolvers, ready to down me the minute he sees me? That’s enough to make any man nervous. Are your pards here?” “They’re close about.” “I have been hammering away at this case ever since I saw you last; and have a theory.” “Out with it; if you want to share it with me.” “It’s just this. _Juniper Joe’s wife is one of the road agents._” “What makes you think so?” Buffalo Bill asked mildly, yet showing interest. “The thing has come to me by degrees. A while ago I was down in Gopher Gabe’s saloon, just inside the door; I had my hat pulled over my eyes, for I didn’t want to be recognized; and I heard men talking in there, by the bar. I don’t know who they were; but what they said gave me all the information I have about that remarkable hold-up and shooting in Eagle Gap to-day; though I admit that before that I knew something had happened, for I saw your Dutch pard come in with that wounded man on his back. “What I heard them saying at Gopher Gabe’s,” he went on, “was that the Dutchman reported that one of the agents was a tall man, and the other a small man. Juniper Joe is a tall man; and Mrs. Joe is a small woman.” “You don’t think that the new Mrs. Joe is a _man_?” “I don’t know about that; but probably a woman. Now, inasmuch as Juniper Joe knew all about the plans for sending the stuff over the mountains on burros, what would have been easier than for him and his wife to disguise and go out there and do the hold-up act?” “It could have been done by them, in all probability.” “Say that Joe had ten thousand dollars of stuff in the express bags, what of it? There was as much as forty thousand more, as I understand it. That forty thousand would be a big haul.” “It would.” “So, there you are, according to my way of thinking.” “Why don’t you arrest Joe, then? You say that you are a detective.” The little man flushed slightly. “I suppose I oughtn’t to admit it,” he said; “but, since Joe took that shot at me, I’m afraid of him; if I should go up to his cabin, he would down me, and ask what I had come for afterward. That’s the way I look at it.” “If I should arrest this woman, and find that you are right, what would you expect?” the scout demanded. “The half of that ten thousand reward _for the arrest of Tim Benson_,” was the unexpected statement. “What is that?” cried the scout.