from Los Angeles ran: > We want to know why-why-why? General uneasiness developed and
Ten minutes later Chicago appealed to Miss Kinzey in these words:
If crime of century is maturing please warn friends in time. We are all getting to cover here.
This was capped by a message from Topeka (and wherein Topeka was concerned even Milsom could not guess):
Don’t shoot, Colonel. We’ll come down.
Cheyne smiled grimly at the consternation of his enemies when the telegrams were laid before him.
“They think we’re on the warpath. Tell ’em we don’t feel like fighting just now, Milsom. Tell ’em what we’re going for. I guess you and Miss Kinsey had better come along, though it isn’t likely I shall do any business on the road. Tell ’em the truth—for once.”
So the truth