“Not the front door, Fred. Go to the corner, then up the cross street and come back through the coal yard.”

Cummings did as he was told and entering the yard was met by Weaver, who dragged him into the house, and after carefully closing the door, lit the lamp and said: 

“Dan’s arrested.”

“Tell me something I don’t know, you fool.”

“So is Cook.”

“If you have any news to tell me out with it; if you haven’t go get the money.  This cursed country is getting too hot for me.  I’m off for Brazil.”

“The money is safe.  Haight will be here soon.  You are safe here.”

“Don’t you be too sure about that.  I thought I was safe down at Swanson’s ranche, and damn it, two of those Pinkerton detectives ate with me, slept with me and gambled with me.  They had their hands on me once but I floored one and got away.  Dan, the coward, threw up his hand the first bluff and was walked off with the darbies on him.”

“Jim, suppose he should turn informer?”

A terrible frown blackened the outlaw’s brow, his eyes became hard and steely, and raising his hand above his head, he said: 

“So help me God, I would hunt him up, tear his cowardly heart from his breast and choke him to death with it, if I had to go to prison to do it and was hung for it.”

An involuntary shudder passed through Weaver as he heard these fearful words and he hastened to say: 

“No danger of Dan’s squealing, Fred. He’s true blue.”

“If he don’t give the express robbery away he can easily get out of this other scrape.  You see we had a lay to get away with Swanson’s money and the two detectives went in with us.  That is how they got Dan and nearly captured me.  If Dan keeps his mouth shut they can’t prove anything against him on account of the Adams Express affair.  So, you see, if he is wise he will keep mum.”

While the two men were thus conversing Chip and Sam were seated before an open window on the second floor of the house opposite the coal office.  The city directory readily gave them the address of Wittrock’s coalyard, and securing this room a constant watch had been kept on the spotted house.

Nothing suspicious had been noted during the day; customers had passed in and out, and Sam had even bought a half ton of coal which was carried to his room.  The two men who ran the coalyard, whose names were found to be Weaver and Haight, were well spoken of in the neighborhood and did not look to be the sort of stuff out of which train robbers were manufactured.

While buying the coal Sam had purposely called Weaver “Mr. Wittrock.”

“That isn’t my name,” said Weaver, “Me and my pardner bought out Wittrock last October.”

“Excuse me,” said Sam; “I saw the name over the door and thought you were the gentleman.”

“We don’t like to pull down the sign.  People know the yard by that name, an’ we don’t care, so long as they buy the coal.”