"I wasn't speaking of her eyes—I meant the poem's—that is—those spoken of in the poem," stammered Songbird. "By the way," he added, hastily, to hide his confusion, "I just heard strange news. Minnie and her father were down in Ashton a couple of days ago and they saw Dudd Flockley at the depot, and he was talking with Jerry Koswell and Bart Larkspur."
"Koswell and Larkspur!" exclaimed Dick. "I didn't think they would dare to show themselves around here."
"Just what I thought, but Mr. Sanderson and Minnie were both sure they saw the pair. They were talking very earnestly to Flockley, as if trying to get him to do something, and Minnie says Flockley said, 'I'll see about it—maybe I can go.'"
"Humph! Flockley promised that he would drop Koswell and Larkspur," said Sam.
"He'd better—if he knows where he is well off," added Tom.
"What became of Koswell and Larkspur?" questioned Dick.
"Minnie says they took the night train for the East."
"The through train?"
"Yes."
