Page:Roads of Destiny (1909).djvu/212

 —and that’s your range ’til court meets. You’re in my charge, and I take the responsibility. You be here when you’re wanted.’

“‘Thanks, Tom,’ he said, kind of carelessly; ‘I was sort of hoping you would n’t lock me up. Court meets next Monday, so, if you don’t object, I’ll just loaf around the office until then. I’ve got one favour to ask, if it is n’t too much. If you’d let the kids come out in the yard once in a while and have a romp I’d like it.’

“‘Why not?’ I answered him. ‘They’re welcome, and so are you. And come to my house, the same as ever.’ You see, Mr. Nettlewick, you can’t make a friend of a thief, but neither can you make a thief of a friend, all at once.”

The examiner made no answer. At that moment was heard the shrill whistle of a locomotive pulling into the depot. That was the train on the little, narrow-gauge road that struck into San Rosario from the south. The major cocked his ear and listened for a moment, and looked at his watch. The narrow-gauge was in on time—10.35. The major continued:

“So Bob hung around the office, reading the papers and smoking. I put another deputy to work in his place, and, after a while, the first excitement of the case wore off.

“One day when we were alone in the office Bob came over to where I was sitting. He was looking sort of grim and blue—the same look he used to get when he’d been up watching for Indians all night or herd-riding.

“‘Tom,’ says he, ‘it’s harder than standing off red-