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 *tisements which pictured the part of the country in which they were interested as a summer Eden. Benton King, appearing restless, talked in low tones to the ever-icy Bob Hutchinson.

"Confound it!" growled Riley, looking at his watch. "Where's Hen Cope 'n' that man Hazelton? It's one minute of time fur the meetin' to begin, 'n' they oughter be here."

"Perhaps they won't come," said the lawyer. "Cope is a mule, and he may try to block proceedings by staying away."

"But he can't do that," rasped Mike. "We can go ahead without him. It's time. Hadn't you better call the meetin' to order, Mr. Graham?"

At this moment, footsteps were heard on the stairs, and the door opened, to admit the puffing Kingsbridge grocer, who paused to remove his hat, mop his shining, moist dome, and look the assemblage over.

"Good evenin', ever'body," he said pleasantly "On time, ain't I?"

"Just about, an' that's all," answered Riley. "Where's th' slip'ry guy that's caused all this trouble?"

"You mean Locke? Ain't he here?"

"I mean Hazelton, 'n' he ain't here."

"That's strange," said Cope, plainly a trifle