t
opposite to it, caught sight of York Macpherson in the hall. And York
saw her, calm and brave, in what he read, in the instant, was defeat for
her. Before her were dismissal, failure, and homelessness. But neither
he nor any one else dreamed how far the influence of those Sunday
afternoons of "calling on mother," with the fat little hotel-keeper, had
led this girl into a "trust in every time of trouble," and she faced her
future bravely.

It was not York Macpherson, but the little, fuzzy, shabby figure of old
Fishin' Teddy who shuffled inside and closed the door, demanding in a
quavering squeak to be heard.

Ponk gave a start of surprise; Lenwell was annoyed; the third man was
indifferent now, being safe, anyhow. Stellar Bahrr and the
superintendent stared in amazement, but Jerry's face was wonderful to
see.

"'Ain't I got a right to say a word here, gentlemen?" old Teddy asked,
looking at Ponk.

"If it's on the subject of this meeting, yes. If it's anything about
fish, either in the Sage Brush or in Kingussie Creek, no. This really
ain't no place for fish stories. We're overstocked with 'em right now,
till this hotel and gurrage will have a 'ancient and a fishlike smell'
as the Good Book says, for a generation."

"I just got wind of what was on up here. A man from your town come down
to see me on business, an' he bringed me up."

"York Macpherson's the only man I ever knew had business with old Teddy.
Lord be praised!" Ponk thought.

"I got a little testimony myself to offer here, for the one that's bein'
blackmailed. I'll tell it fast as I can," Teddy declared.

"Take your time an' get it straight. None of us is in a hurry now," Ponk
assured him.

Then the Teddy Bear, without looking at Jerry, gave testimony:

"Back in Pennsylvany, where I come from, in the Winnowoc country, I
knowed Jim Swaim, this young lady's father. I wasn't no fisherman then.
I was a hard-workin', well-meanin', honest man. My name was Hans
Theodore--and somethin' else I have no use for since I come to the Sage
Brush in Kansas."

He hesitated and looked down at his scaly brown paws and shabby clothes.

"I ain't telling this 'cause I want to, but 'cause I want to do justice
to Jim Swaim's girl. Jim was my friend an' helped me a lot of ways. He
was a hard-fisted business man, but awfully human with human bein's; an'
his daughter's jes' like him, seems to me."

Jerry's cheeks were swept with the bloom of "Eden" roses as she sat wit