"No, sir," answered the boy. "He didn't come to the farm. He met us at a place where two roads cross. I was walking beside Mr. Grimes when the buggy came along and he was sitting in it with the little girl beside him--Mollie, you know--and he asked Mr. Grimes where he lived and if he was paid enough money would he keep the little girl. And Mr. Grimes said if the money came he'd keep her and if it didn't he get rid of her. And this man told him the money would come regular as long as she lived and so Mr. Grimes said all right. So they took her out of the buggy and told her to walk along with me and I didn't hear what they said after that. She was a good little girl and didn't cry or anything. I think I told you about it, didn't I? I forgot. But I didn't know you had his picture." The Chief was on his feet. Everyone present was alert. The moment was pregnant with action. That picture--the rough sketch which an idle night clerk had made to amuse himself, just because he had not liked the peculiar smile which Bailey bestowed upon him when he gave him his mail,--now proved beyond a doubt that Grimes was known to Bailey and that it must have been Bailey with whom Grimes had been in communication the day he was seen leaving the hotel. But the Chief had another idea. "Have you got an eraser, Burke? Sub out that mustache. Be careful. Don't spoil the likeness." The slight change was quickly made and the Chief, taking the picture from Burke, handed it to Wayne. "Any resemblance to that fellow you told about over in France?" he asked. Wayne had almost forgotten having told the Chief about the old threat that had been made against him. He looked at the picture first with some impatience, then with perplexity and finally with amazed interest. The Chief, noting the rapid changes of expression on Wayne's face, did not wait for a reply. "We've got our men," he remarked succinctly. "If we hurry we can catch them all at the Grimes place. That's where they've taken the child. This boy was already gone. They'll have seen the morning papers and be going there to fetch her away." He started toward the door. Stephen, realizing their purpose, strove to raise himself in bed. "Go quietly," he warned, fear again lighting his large, sunken eyes. "Just all break down the gate and go in together or he'll throw the baby into the bog. He will. He's terrible." The Chief, even in his haste, managed to call back to Mrs. Craddock to reassure the little fellow. "Tell him not to worry," he said. "That's our business--saving children. I'll send somebody to tell him about it." And Splutters, feeling that he had done all he could and that Mollie and the children were going to be saved, went tranquilly to sleep. Craddock was sitting on the rail fence by the side of the road talking to the driver of the police car as Wayne and the detectives hurried toward it. He descended as they approached and came around to meet them.