Then he raised the paper, and seemed to take a careless glance at it.
Hardly had he done this than the watchers saw him start upright again.
He was undoubtedly devouring the thrilling news item on the front page with "avidity"-- -at least, that was what Jim Pettigrew would have called it, had he been at his favorite job of "writing up" the doings of Scranton society for the past week.
"Now he has got a body blow!" hissed the delighted Thad, unable to keep still any great length of time when his pulses were throbbing like mad, and his eyes round with eagerness.
Brother Lu read the article through.

Then he lowered the paper and seemed to be meditating, to judge from his attitude.

Hugh thought he could detect something akin to a wide grin on the other's face, but then he may have been mistaken.

Thad, on his part, was positive that he knew what must be passing through the mind of the man after reading that suggestive news concerning the Texan marshal who never yet allowed an intended victim to elude his clutches, and who meant to get the guilty party so badly wanted "down below." "Say, he's figuring on whether he'd best streak it as he is, or go in and gather a few things together that he may need," continued the irrepressible Thad.
Even as he spoke they saw the other scramble hastily out of the comfortable hammock, and start post-haste for the open door of the cottage.

Thad was as certain of what was about to happen as that he knew his own name.