ght of a lamp shone into his face. He was a big,
handsome man, but Foster, studying him closely, noted his hard and
greedy eyes. For a moment, he came near forgetting the need for
caution and giving way to a fit of rage. The fellow had it in his
power to bring disgrace upon upright people and drag an honored name in
the mire. He could humble Alice Featherstone's pride and ruin the
brother she loved.

Lawrence had done wrong, but had paid for it and made good in Canada,
and now the rogue who had learned his secret would drag him down, or,
as the price of silence, bring his relatives to poverty. Foster felt
that Daly was not the man to be merciful when there was an advantage to
be got; one saw a sinister hint of cruelty in his coarsely-handsome
face. It would have been a relief to provoke the fellow and throw him
out of the garage, but Foster knew he must deny himself this
satisfaction, since it would make things worse for those he meant to
shield. He did not remember having felt so full of primitive
savageness before, but he exercised his self-control.

Standing in the shadow, he turned his head, looking down at the lamp he
began to take to pieces, and presently Daly said to the driver, "You
had better get some food; I'll want you soon."

Then he came back and passing close enough to touch Foster, went up the
steps and through a door. Foster put down the lamp and strolled out of
the garage. He found dinner ready at his hotel and when he had
finished went to the smoking-room, which was opposite the office. He
left the door open and by and by heard a man enter the hall and stop at
the counter.

"Have you an American called Franklin here?" he asked and Foster smiled
as he recognized Daly's voice.

He had half-expected the visit, and the inquiry was cleverly framed.
Daly had not asked about a Canadian, because the accent of Western
Canada is that of the United States, and Franklin resembled
Featherstone enough to prompt the girl clerk to mention the latter if
he were a guest. For all that, Daly was ignorant of the Scottish
character, because the Scot seldom offers information that is not
demanded.

"No," she said, "we have no American staying with us."

Foster thought Daly opened the visitors' book, which lay on the
counter, but as he had not yet entered his name, there was nothing to
be learned from it. Still Daly might come into the smoking-room, and
he picked up the _Scotsman_ and leaning back in his