In a flash Jack saw it all. Watts' offer had been a trap! A mere trap to get him into trouble, probably in revenge!

He sprang to his feet. "It's not true! It's false! Whatever it is, it's false! I did see Watts, and he asked me to go in with them, but I only agreed so as to learn who they were, so we could capture them!"

To his utter dismay the two officers only laughed drily.

"No, no! That's quite too thin," declared the detective. "Read this."

Blankly Jack took the letter, and read:

"Chief Detective,

"Middle Western R. R.

"Dear Sir: The young night operator at Midway Junction has joined the freight-stealing gang that Corry belonged to, and if you will look under the mattress in his room at the railroad boarding-house you will find a watch and chain of the lot we stole at Claxton two weeks ago. I gave it to him last Friday night. I came to Midway by the Eastfield freight, and when I saw another operator in the station office, I started up towards the boarding-house, and met Orr coming down. I mention this to show my story is all straight.

"I heard he was going to give us away as soon as he had got enough loot himself, and claim he only went in with us to get us. That is why I am showing him up.

"Yours truly,

"W. Watts."

And the day operator _had_ worked for him that Friday evening, while he was at the landlady's daughter's birthday party! And he _had_ come down to the station at about the time the Eastfield night freight came in!

Jack sank back in the chair, completely crushed.

"Changed your mind, eh?" remarked the sheriff sarcastically.

Jack shook his head, but said nothing. What could he say!

"If it's 'false,' as you claim, how do you explain our finding the watch in your room?" demanded the detective.

"I don't know. Someone must have put it there."

"Very likely. It wouldn't have crept up stairs and got under the bed itself. And I suppose you will deny also that you saw Watts on the night of the party, despite the fact that he could not otherwise have known the unusual hour you came down to the station that night. Eh?"

"I never saw him after the night he called here," affirmed Jack earnestly, but hopelessly.

"Well, you will have to prove it," declared the sheriff. And to Jack's unspeakable horror he was informed he must be taken into custody.

Needless to say, the news of Jack's arrest, and of his early trial at Eastfield, the county seat, came as a tremendous shock to Alex, at Exeter. Of course he thoroughly disbelieved in Jack's guilt, despite the net of circ.u.mstantial evidence which, according to the newspapers, had been woven about his friend; and morning and afternoon he read and re-read the papers, in the hope of something more favorable to Jack developing.

It was through this close reading that Alex finally came upon the discovery that was to draw him into the case himself, and to have so important a bearing on the outcome of the trial.

Early in the evening preceding the day set for the hearing, Alex, before starting work on his wire, was studying the paper as usual. For the second time he was reading the letter from the man Watts that had had such serious results for Jack.

Suddenly as he read Alex started, again read a portion of the letter, a moment thought deeply, and with a cry sprang to his feet and hastened to the chief despatcher's desk.

"Mr. Allen," he said excitedly, "in this letter Watts says he reached Midway Junction that Friday night by the Eastfield freight, and that he met and gave Jack Orr the watch after that.

"Now I remember distinctly that it was Jack reported the arrival of the Eastfield freight that night. She was twenty minutes late, and I recall asking if she was in sight yet, and his reply that she had just whistled.

"That means Jack was back at the station before the time at which Watts claims he met him!"

"Ward, why in the world didn't you think of this before?" the chief exclaimed. "It is the most important piece of evidence your friend could have.

"Call Eastfield right away on the long-distance, and get Orr's lawyer, and tell him."

Alex hastily did so, and a few minutes after he heard the lawyer's voice from the distant town, and quickly told his story.

To his surprise the lawyer for a moment remained silent, then said slowly, "Of course I would like to believe that. In fact it would make an invaluable piece of evidence--practically conclusive.

"But really now, how could you be sure it was Orr you heard? What possible difference can there be between the ticks made over a telegraph wire by one distant operator, and those made by another?"

"Why, all the difference in the world, sometimes, sir," declared Jack.

"Any operator would tell you that. I would recognize Jack Orr's sending anywhere I heard it."

But the lawyer at the other end was still incredulous. "Well," he said at last, "if the jury was made up of telegraph operators, perhaps your claim might go. As it is, however--"

"Say, I have it!" cried Alex. "Let me give a demonstration right there in court of my ability to identify the sending of as many different operators as we can get together, including Jack Orr. Could you arrange that?"

The lawyer was interested at last. "But could you really do it? Are you really that sure?"

"I am absolutely positive," declared Alex.

"Then you come right ahead," was the decisive response. "Come down here by the first train in the morning, and bring two or three other operators, and the necessary instruments.

"And if you can prove what you claim, I'll guarantee that your friend is clear."

"Hurrah! Then he is clear!" cried Alex joyously.

Accompanied by three other operators from the Exeter office, and with a set of telegraph instruments and a convenient dry-battery, Alex reached the court-room at Eastfield at 10 o'clock the following morning.

The trial, which had attracted a crowd that packed the building to its capacity, already had neared its conclusion. Jack's demeanor, and that of his father, who was beside him, quickly informed Alex that matters were looking serious for his chum. Confidently he waited, however, and at last the court clerk arose and called his name.

The preliminary questions were pa.s.sed, and Jack's attorney at once proceeded. "Now Alex," he said, "this letter here, which has been put in evidence, declares that the writer, Watts, went to Midway Junction by the Eastfield freight on the Friday night in question, and that he then met the defendant coming down to the station from his boarding-house, and gave him the watch.

"Have you anything to say to this?"

"Yes, sir. Jack Orr was at the telegraph instruments in the Midway Junction station several minutes before the Eastfield freight reached there that night. It was he who reported her coming over the wire to me at Exeter."

The lawyer for the prosecution looked up with surprise, then smiled in amus.e.m.e.nt, while Jack and his father started, and exchanged glances of new hope.

"You are positive it was the defendant you heard over the wire?" asked Mr. Brown.

"Positive, sir."

"If necessary could you give a demonstration here in court of your ability to identify the defendant's transmitting on a telegraph instrument?"