ad taken it.

"Good." Kars rose from the bed. "Get dressed, Alec," he said kindly.
"You'll sign that bond before you eat. After that I'll hand you all
the talk you need. Call round at my apartment when you're fixed."

As John Kars passed out of the Gridiron one thought alone occupied him.
Murray McTavish had lied. He had lied deliberately to Bill Brudenell.
He had made no attempt to save the boy from the mire into which he had
helped to fling him. On the contrary, he had thrust him deeper and
deeper into it. Why? What--what was the meaning of it all? Where
were things heading? What purpose lay behind the man's doings?

CHAPTER XX

THE "ONLOOKERS" AGAIN

The prompt action of John Kars looked as if it would achieve the
desired result. His plan had been without any depth of subtlety. It
was characteristic of the man, in whom energy and action served him in
all crises. Alec had to be saved. The boy was standing at the brink
of a pit of moral destruction. He must be dragged back. But physical
force would be useless, for, in that direction, there was little if any
advantage on the side of the man who designed to save him. Kars had
won through the opportunities that were his. And he sat pondering his
success, and dreaming of the sweet gray eyes which had inspired his
effort, when Alec reached his apartment in fulfilment of his promise.

It was a happy interview. It was far happier than Alec could have
believed possible, in view of his passionate regret at abandoning
Leaping Horse, and the woman, whose tremendous attractions had caught
his unsophisticated heart in her silken toils, for something
approaching a year. But then Kars was using all the strength of a
powerful, infectious personality in his effort.

He listened to the boy's story of his love and regret with sympathy and
apparent understanding. He encouraged him wherever he sought
encouragement. He had a pleasantry of happy expression wherever it was
needed. In a word he played to the last degree upon a nature as weak
as it was simply honest.

The net result was the final departure of Alec in almost buoyant mood
at the prospects opening out before him, and bearing in his pocket the
signed agreement, whereby, at the price of absolute secrecy, and a
year's supreme effort, he was to achieve everything he needed to lay at
the feet of a woman he believed to be the most perfect creature on
God's beautiful earth.

Kars watched him go not