“I’m afraid I didn’t stop to think of all that, sir. He jumped on the train and so I――I jumped on, too!” “I see. And now?” Joe hesitated. “I suppose I’ll have to get him arrested in Toledo if he won’t give it up without.” “Why didn’t you call a policeman at that last place?” “I didn’t see one. Besides, I thought he’d give the money back without any fuss when he saw that I had caught him.” “But he wouldn’t?” “No, sir.” “Perhaps he hasn’t got it with him. Perhaps he’s spent it.” “I don’t think so. You see――――” “But I don’t see,” said the man, with a smile. “I want to, though. Starting at the beginning, now――――” He doubled his long legs up again, clasped his hands around them and observed Joe expectantly and encouragingly. Joe hesitated, smiled, and told his story. During the recital the gray-blue eyes watched him intently and their owner maintained absolute silence. There was but one interruption, and that was when the conductor came in. Joe reached for his money, but the man gently pushed his hand away from his pocket. “Pardon me,” he said gently, “but it’s my party.” He took out a very stunning gold-trimmed pocket-book, pulled a five-dollar note from it and handed it to the conductor. “Where to?” asked the latter. Joe’s new acquaintance questioned silently. “Toledo, I guess,” said Joe. “Do we stop before we get there?” The conductor shook his head, made out the check, returned the change and took his departure. “I’m much obliged,” said Joe, “but I didn’t mean for you to pay my fare, sir.” “I know you didn’t. But as you’re my guest it was only right that I should. So you guessed that that punch was coming, did you?” “Yes, sir, sort of. And then, when he swung around his bag struck me on the knees and I went back against the wall.” “To be continued in our next,” murmured the other. He examined his watch. “We’ll be in Toledo in about ten minutes, I think. So perhaps you’d better go and see your friend. Afterwards come back here and tell me what the result is. It would be too commonplace to bring the police into this. So we’ll just put our heads together and find an artistic dénoûement.” Joe hurried through the three Pullman cars and through an equal number of day-coaches without finding Mr. Chester Young. But in the next, the smoking car, the sight of that gentleman rewarded him as he closed the door. Young was seated half-way along the car, smoking a cigarette and figuring on the back of an envelope. Beside him, on the other half of the seat, rested the suit-case. Joe walked quietly down the aisle. Young didn’t see him until he had laid hand on the bag. Then, with an alarmed grasp at the suit-case, Young raised his eyes. His jaw dropped ludicrously and the cigarette in his mouth rolled to the floor, and while Joe set the suit-case aside and seated himself Young continued to regard him in stupefied amazement. CHAPTER XXII THE AMATEUR DETECTIVE “Well,” said Joe finally, “thought better of it, Young?”