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 you don’t know a thing about it. By the way, who did you send up there?”

“Abner Whitten,” promptly replied Hatton.

“What! Abner still working for you? Why, one of my men met him up at Hood mountain and he said he was through and was going to get a job with the Feenys up on Chesuncook.”

“I had not heard of his quitting us,” quietly returned Hatton, but inwardly disturbed as he remembered his parting injunction to Abner, not to come back till he had succeeded. He had not meant that order, but he knew the veteran was so sensitive that he might be likely to seek employment elsewhere.

“Sorry I can’t wait for Thaxter,” said Nace, moving towards the door. “But as you say, there’s plenty of time.”

“Hold on, Nace,” said Hatton brusquely. “Let’s quit beating around the bush. Thaxter will expect to see you. You are out after the money. All this slander suit talk is rot and you know it. You want money and nothing else. Thaxter is the man to treat with. He’ll do better by you than the Consolidated people will. If you’ve got us where the wool is short you’d better make the best of it and see the president.”