"They may be after deer," acknowledged Ware, reluc antly, "though I hate to think that rattlesnake is out i anything legitimate. I will say he's a good hunter; and a Ar trailer."

"Oh, he's a good trailer, is he?" said Bob. “Well, I rather suspected you'd say that. Now I know why they're up there; they want to figure out from the signs we've left jus what we've been up to."

"That's easy done," remarked Ware.

This explanation fitted. Bob had been in the Basin before, but on the business of estimating government timber. Baker knew this. Now that the Forest officer had gone i for a second time, it might be possible that he was doing the same thing; or it might be equally possible that he was engaged in an investigation of Baker's own property. This the power man had decided to find out. Therefore he had sent in, with his land man, an individual expert at deducing from the half-obliterated marks of human occupation the activities that had left them. That Oldham and his sinister companion had encountered the Forest men was a sheer accident due to miscalculation.

Having worked this out to his own satisfaction, Bob knew what next to expect. Baker must interview him. Bob was sure the young man would take his own time to the matter, for naturally it would not do to make the fact of such a meeting too public. Accordingly he submitted his report to Thorne, and went on about his further investigations, certain that sooner or later he would again see the prime mover of all these dubious activities.

He was not in the least surprised, therefore, to look up when riding one day along the lonely and rugged trail that cuts across the lower cañon of the River, to see Baker seated on the top of a round boulder. The incongruity, however, brought a smile to his lips. The sight of the round, smooth face, the humorous eyes, and the stout, city-fed figure of this very urban individual on a rock in a howling

lderness, with the eternal mountains for a background, As inexpressibly comical.

"Hullo, merry sunshine!" called Baker, waving his hand soon as he was certain Bob had seen him. "Welcome to r thriving little hamlet."

"Hullo, Baker," said Bob; "what are you doing 'way off ere?"

"Just drifting down the Grand Canal and listening to e gondoliers; and incidentally, waiting for you. Climb f your horse and come up here and get a tailor-made garette."

"I'm on my way over to Spruce Top," said Bob, "and 've got to keep moving."

"Haste not, hump not, hustle not," said Baker, with the ir of one quoting a hand-illuminated motto. "It will only get you somewhere. Come, gentle stranger, I would converse with thee; and I've come a long way to do it." "I live nearer home than this," grinned Bob.

"I wanted to see you in your office," grinned back Baker appreciatively, "and this is strictly business."

Bob dismounted, threw the reins over his horse's head, and ascended to the top of the boulder.

"Fire ahead," said he; "I keep union hours."

XVII

NION hours suit me," said Baker. "Why work

U while papa has his health? What I want to k

66

how high is the limit on this game anyway?"

'What do you mean?"

know is,

"This confounded so-called 'investigation' of yours? In other words, do you intend to get after me?" "As how?"

Baker's shrewd eyes looked at him gravely from out his smiling fat face.

"Modoc Mining Company's lands."

"Then you are the Modoc Mining Company?" asked Bob.

Baker eyed him again.

"Look here, my angel child," said he in a tone of goodhumoured pity, "I can make all that kind of talk in a witness box if necessary. In any case, I didn't come 'way out here to exchange that sort with you. You know perfectly well I'm the Modoc Mining Company, and that I've got a fine body of timber under the mineral act, and all the rest of it. You know all this not only because you've got some sense, but because I told you so before a competent witness. It stands to reason that I don't mind telling you again where there are no witnesses. Now smoke up and join the King's Daughters let's have a heart-to-heart and find out how we stand."

Bob laughed, and Baker, with entirely whole-hearted enjoyment, laughed too.

"You're next on the list," said Bob, "and, personally, I

think ———"

Baker held up his hand.

"Let's not exchange thinks," said he. "I've got a few inks coming myself, you know. Let's stick to facts. hen the Government is going to open up on us?"

“Yes.”

"On the grounds of fraudulent entry, I suppose." "That's it."

"Let's not exchange thinks," Bob reminded him.

"Right! I can see that you're acting under orders, and the uit must be brought. Now I tell you frankly, as one Modrn Woods-pussy of the World to another, that you're the nly fellow that has any real testimony. What I want to now is, are you going to use it?"

Bob looked at his companion steadily.

"I don't see why, even without witnesses, I should give way government plans to you, Baker."

Baker sighed, and slid from the boulder.

"I'm practically certain how the cat jumps, and I've long since made my plans accordingly. Whatever you say does not alter my course of action. Only I hate to do a man an injustice without being sure. You needn't answer. Your last remark means that you are. I have too much sense to do the little Eva to you, Orde. You've got the gray stuff in your head, even if it is a trifle wormy. Of course, it's no good telling you that you're going back on a friend, that you'll be dragging Welton into the game when he hasn't got a chip to enter with, that you're betraying private confidence — well, guess the rest is all ‘thinks.'”

I

"I'm sorry, Baker," said Bob, "and I suppose I must appear to be a spy in the matter. But it can't be helped." Baker's good-humoured, fat face had fallen into grave lines. He studied a distant spruce tree for a moment.

"Well," he roused himself at last, "I wish this particular attack of measles had passed off before you bucked up against us. Because, you know, that land's ours, and we don't

expect to give it up on account of this sort of fool agitation We'll win this case. I'm sorry you're mixed up in it." "Saleratus Bill?" hinted Bob.

Baker's humorous expression returned.

"What do you take me for?" he grinned. "No, that's Oldham's bodyguard. Thinks he needs a bodyguard these days. That's what comes from having a bad conscience. I tell him. Some of those dagoes he's sold bum farms to are more likely to show up with a desire to abate him, than tha: anything would happen to him in these hills. Now let's get this straight; the cases go on?"

"Yes."

"And you testify?"

"Yes."

"And call Welton in for corroboration?" "I hardly think that's necessary."

"It will be, as you very well know. I just wanted to be sure how we stood toward each other. So long."

He turned uncompromisingly away, and stumped off down the trail on his fat and sturdy legs.

Bob looked after him amazed, at this sudden termination of the interview. He had anticipated argument, sophistry, appeal to old friendship, perhaps a more dark and doubtful approach. Though conscious throughout of Baker's contempt for what the promoter would call his childish impracticability, his disloyalty and his crankiness, Bob realized that all of this had been carefully subdued. Baker's manner at parting expressed more of regret than of anger or annoyance.