all about it. I tried to
sell him a few shares of stock in the suitcase, so he'll take an
interest in the game; but he's too much the tight-wad to buy."

"Oh, no," deprecated Vandeman. "Just no gambler; hate to take a chance."
He ran his fingers through his hair, tossing it up with a gesture I had
noticed when he came back from the dance at Tait's.

"All right--apology accepted," Worth nodded. "Anyway, you didn't. Well,
Jerry?"

Vandeman waited a moment with natural curiosity, then, as I still said
nothing, giving my attention to my smoke, moved reluctantly to rise,
saying,

"That means I'd better chase along and let you two talk business."

"No. Sit tight," from Worth.

I was mad clear through, and disturbed and apprehensive, too. I managed
a brief, dry statement of the outcome in the south. Worth hailed it
with,

"Skeels lurks in the jungle! Life still holds a grain of interest."

"Why the devil couldn't you keep me advised of your movements?" I
demanded.

"Dykeman's hounds," he grinned. "Had them guessing. They'd have picked
me up if I'd gone to your office."

"You could have written or wired. They've picked you up anyway," I
grunted. "One's on the job now. Saw him as I came in."

"Eh? What's that?" cried Vandeman, a man snooping in the shrubbery
outside getting more attention from him than one dodging pursuit three
hundred miles away. "What do you mean, hounds?" and when he had heard
the explanation of Dykeman's trailers, "I call that intolerable!"

"Oh, I don't know." Worth reached over my shoulder for a cigarette.
"Lose 'em whenever I like."

I wasn't so certain. There were men in my employ he couldn't shake.
Perhaps those reports in Dykeman's desk might have offered some
surprises to this cock-sure lad. My exasperation at Worth mounted as I
listened to Vandeman talking.

"Those bank people should do one thing or another," he gave his opinion.
"Just because you got gay with them and handed them their payment in the
suitcase it left in, they've no right to have you watched like a
criminal. In a small town like this, such a thing will ruin a man's
standing."

"If he has any standing," Worth laughed.

"See here," Vandeman's smile was persuasive. "Don't let what I said out
in front embitter you."

"I'll try not to."

"Mr. Boyne"--Vandeman missed the sarcasm--"when I got back to this town
to-day, what do you suppose I found? The story going around that a
quarrel with Worth, over money, drove hi