The surprise of Jones and Higgins as they were accosted was no less than that of the others had been at seeing them. Questions flew thick and fast. The man-hunters who had been summoned by the bank president gave a hurried _resumé_ of their case. "Where are these fellows?" asked Higgins, when the story was finished. "In their tent, I suppose. Why?" "Because I want to look at them. We're down here trailing Susie James. She probably expects to meet her brothers here and from what you tell me, these miners may be our birds." "You don't mean you think they're Jesse and some of his men?" gasped one of the "capitalists." "I sure do. It's worth trying anyhow. You all round up Dillaby and the others and when we've tracked Susie to where she's going, we'll come back and meet you here in the square. Mum's the word." And the two latest arrivals of the celebrated Pinkerton force hastened after the girl whom they had watched, as she continued up the street, while talking to their fellows. Jones and Higgins were two of the detectives assigned to keep the Samuel's homestead, in Kearney, under constant vigil, following the inmates on their travels, which were few and far between, whenever it seemed advisable. Knowing these facts, the others acquiesced in their leadership and, excited at the thought that the much wanted desperado might be the mysterious Mr. Howard who had made them so ridiculous, they hurried to acquaint Dillaby and Mr. Rozier with the startling development. As the suggestion was made that the miner was no other than Jesse James, the banker grew deathly pale. "You can't mean it!" he murmured. "But we _do_," returned one of the detectives. "Won't it be great if he is?" continued the fellow, enthusiastically. "_No it won't_," snapped Mr. Rozier. "Oh! why did I ever get you down here, anyway? I'll give you a hundred dollars apiece to drop the matter and go back to Kansas City on the next train!" Amazed at the sudden change in the man who had employed them, the detectives gazed at one another in bewilderment. "We can't do that," returned Dillaby, at last. "If your men should turn out to be the bandits, the chief'll be so tickled he won't charge you a cent. We'll let you know how things come out." "But I engaged you. If I order you to go back, why shouldn't you go?" fumed the banker. "Because if the miners and the outlaws are one and the same, Jones and Higgins will need help in landing them and the men on the trail of Jesse James can press all the other Pinkertons into service they want. "I don't see, sir, however, why, when you were so keen to prove the strangers frauds, you developed such an aversion to the idea when the trail may lead to the desperadoes?" "You don't, eh?" returned Mr. Rozier. "Well, if you were the president of a bank you would! Here I've been insulting and hounding Jesse James, if it is really he. Oh! What a fool I've been. _He'll get even with me some way!_"