The cord passed from hand to hand as the major and the boys examined it with curiosity and some degree of horror, while Stella positively refused to handle it, or even look at it. "Tell me more about Miss Mowbray's servants," said Ted, again taking up his line of interrogation. "What were the names of the two Japanese?" "The man was called Ban Joy, but generally was known as Joy." "Was he pretty well known in the town?" "No, he was uncommunicative, and spoke very little English. The only persons who had much to do with him were the storekeepers of whom he bought supplies for the house." "And the woman?" "Her name was Itsu San, I believe. I only saw her once, and that was in the yard back of the house. She appeared young, and was very pretty for a Jap, I guess. She is the first Jap woman I ever saw." "What were her duties?" "She was Miss Mowbray's maid, while Joy was the cook." "And you say they are gone?" "Yes. I saw Joy about eight o'clock, but when I searched the house after the discovery of the body they were not there, and I could find nothing that belonged to them." "What are you going to do now?" "I'm going to hit Farnsworth's trail, and I won't leave it till I run him down and send him to the gallows." "I don't think you will." "I won't, eh? Why shouldn't I?" "Because Farnsworth did not murder Miss Mowbray." "Then who did?" "I don't know; probably the Japanese, but I'm not too sure of that. I believe you will pick up a surprise at the end of the string you are following. At any rate, me for Farnsworth, and I give you fair warning that I'm going to help him all I can until I am persuaded of his guilt." "That's a fine way for a deputy United States marshal to talk." "A better way than you are talking, for it is as much our duty to protect men from injustice as it is to bring them to justice." "That's enough of you for me then. I'll say good night. Come on, boys." The four deputy United States marshals marched in single file from the house, mounted their horses, and rode away into the west just as the sun poked its head above the eastern horizon. CHAPTER XVI. A LETTER FROM THE DEAD. Ted was brooding over the appearance of Farnsworth, and the startling events which followed, and particularly the crime at Rodeo, of which the young fellow had fallen under suspicion. Ted believed that Farnsworth was innocent of the crime. But his flight from the town, and the question he had put to Ted when they met in the road, as to whether Ted had heard the news from Rodeo, were enough to convict him in the mind of any person prone to suspicion. But Ted looked at matters of this sort differently than most people. In the first place, his experience had taught him that actions which seemed most suspicious often proved most innocent.