Page:MacLeod Raine - The Sheriff's Son.djvu/251

 "Are n't you going to tell dad about it, Boots?"

Presently her dark eyes swept round to his.

"Why did you say that you did n't know anything about the Western Express robbery?"

He looked steadily at her. "I did n't say that, Beulah. What I said was that I did n't know where the stolen gold was hidden—and I did n't."

"That was just an evasion. You meant me to think that we had had nothing to do with the—the robbery."

"That's right. I did."

"And all the time—" She broke off, a sob choking her throat.

"I knew who did it. That's correct. But I was n't a party to the robbery. I knew nothing about it till afterward."

"I 've always believed everything you 've told me, dad. And now—"

He felt doubt in her shaken voice. She did not know what to think now. Rutherford set himself to clear away her suspicions. He chose to do it by telling the exact truth.

"Now you may still believe me, honey. The robbery was planned by Tighe. I 'll not mention the names of those in it. The day after it