I reckon I threw away
my four-bits on this book--it don't tell a feller nothin'
'bout false whiskers, wigs 'n' the like," and he tossed
the book disgustedly into a corner, rose and descended
to the barnyard. Here he busied himself about some
task that should have been attended to a week before,
and which even now was not destined to be completed
that day, since Willie had no more than set himself to it
than his attention was distracted by the sudden appear-
ance of a touring car being brought to a stop in front of
the gate.
Instantly Willie dropped his irksome labor and
slouched lazily toward the machine, the occupants of
which were descending and heading for the Case front
door. Jeb Case met them before they reached the porch
and Willie lolled against a pillar listening eagerly to all
that was said.
The most imposing figure among the strangers was
the same whom Bridge had seen approaching the
Squibbs' house a short time before. It was he who acted
as spokesman for the newcomers.
"As you may know," he said, after introducing him-
self, "a number of crimes were committed in and around
Oakdale last night. We are searching for clews to the
perpetrators, some of whom must still be in the neigh-
borhood.
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