“Why don’t you believe what I’m telling you?” demanded Young anxiously. “I never saw this fellow or his money. Say, you aren’t really going to take me just on what he says, are you?” “Orders are orders, friend, and I got mine,” was the reply. “But don’t you bother. If you didn’t get his money you’ll get off all right tomorrow morning. And we’ve got a good, comfortable jail in Toledo, too.” “That’s all right,” faltered Young, his gaze on the approaching conductor, “but――but if he tells them a pack of lies, how do I know they won’t believe him instead of me? You do yourself!” “Me? Pshaw, now, I don’t believe anyone. This fellow says you did and you say you didn’t. It doesn’t make a scrap of difference to me, anyway. It’s up to the judge in the morning.” “Well, but――say――――” Young leaned across confidentially, lowering his voice. “Now, look here, sir. I don’t want to have to go back to Toledo. I’m in a hurry. I’ve got a sick father in Detroit, I have. Now, say I give this fellow what I’ve got with me? Eh? I’d pay that not to have to go back. What do you say?” “Well, that’s up to him,” was the reply, “What do you say?” The man turned inquiringly to Joe. “If he will give me all the money he has with him, all right,” Joe answered. “I’ll be satisfied. I dare say he’s spent a good bit of it.” “But I’ve got to keep enough to pay my fare to Detroit,” said Young eagerly. Joe nodded. “All right. Pay your fare to Detroit and give me the rest.” “Well, that’s what I call sensible,” said the impromptu detective. “What’s the use of going to a heap of trouble when you can avoid it, eh? Hello, Conductor. One to Detroit and”――he looked a question at Joe. “I guess I’ll go to Detroit, too,” was the response. “Two Detroits, eh? All right, gentlemen. Thank you. Let me see, you’re――――” He observed the tall man doubtfully. “Yes, you know me,” was the response, accompanied by a nod toward the rear of the train. “I thought so.” The conductor returned the change to Young and to Joe and passed on. Young, his purse still in his hand, counted out the remaining contents of it. “There’s nearly eighteen dollars,” he said easily. “You might leave me enough for car-fare to get to my house with, but I won’t ask it.” “Keep out the silver,” said Joe, “and give me the bills.” Young obeyed and passed over a ten, a five, and two ones. “You’re witness that I paid this to him,” he challenged the third member of the group. The tall man nodded. “I’m witness you’ve paid him seventeen dollars,” he agreed. “Go ahead.” “Go ahead? What do you mean, go ahead?” asked Young with a scowl. “Why, I mean go ahead and pay him the rest of it.” “The rest of it! He agreed to take what I had here――――” “What you had with you, my friend,” interrupted the other. “Be good now and don’t let’s have any more trouble.” He reached across and pushed Young’s suit-case toward him. “Open her up, friend, and dig down!” “I tell you I ain’t got――――”