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246 "Just the same," cut in Steele firmly. "I've asked a favour. If I want to put across a deal which the father of twins wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole he can simply say: 'I won't do what you ask.' That lets him out. It's up to you, Bob."

"Oh, well," said Carruthers. "I'll do it." He looked at Steele queerly. "You're not the man to go money mad, Bill."

"You never can tell," laughed Steele. "Now, I'll scare up a horse for you and you can make a call on Miss Corliss. Much obliged."

Whereupon he went away, followed by Carruthers' puzzled eyes.

Before noon Carruthers interviewed Beatrice. She admitted candidly at the outset that the change of railroad plans had been a severe blow to her hopes for Summit City and that she was, perforce, in a position to listen to an offer. Just how eager she was to save herself from a complete loss here she did not allow to appear; chiefly eager in the matter because she did not want that man Steele to be able to say that he had entirely succeeded in his threat to "put her little toy town out of business." Steele, by the way, was not mentioned during the transaction.

Carruthers had little difficulty in securing the option for ten days, the final figure agreed upon standing at twenty thousand dollars, and reported his success to Steele who was tremendously pleased.

"Good enough, Bob," he cried warmly, so warmly and with such a look of triumph in his eyes that again Carruthers was troubled to account for this new devel-