"
"They usually do," said the other patiently.
"And you want me to arrest him on suspicion, eh?"
"Certainly. You're a county official, aren't you?"
"I'm an officer of the law."
"Well, that's the answer. We are obliged to turn such matters over
to the local authorities. What do you suppose I'm telling you about
the case for? When I give the word, you land him and--well, Uncle
Sam will do the rest, never fear."
"That's all right, but supposin' he ain't the man you're after and
he turns around and sues me for false arrest?"
"You can detain anybody on information and belief, my friend. Don't
you know that?"
"Certainly," said Mr. Foss with commendable asperity. "Supposin'
he's got a revolver?"
"He probably has,--but so have we. Don't worry. He won't have a
chance to use it. Hello! Isn't that a man standing up there by that
telephone pole? We'll just stroll up that way. Don't hurry. Keep
cool. Talk about the drowning."
They were halfway up the hill before Courtney moved. Every nerve
was aquiver as he raised himself to his feet and looked cautiously
about. The thing he feared had come to pass, but even as he crouched
there in the shelter of the bushes the means of salvation flashed
through his mind. He realized that the next fifteen or twenty
minutes would convince these dogged, experienced man chasers that
their quarry had "got wind of them" and was in flight.
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