k Thorpe had, of course, entered the briefest description
possible. Now, in dictating to the clerk, he conceived the idea of
specifying each subdivision. This gained some time. Instead of saying
simply, "Northwest quarter of section 8," he made of it four separate
descriptions, as follows:--Northwest quarter of northwest quarter;
northeast of northwest quarter; southwest of northwest quarter; and
southeast of northwest quarter.

He was not so foolish as to read the descriptions in succession, but so
scattered them that the clerk, putting down the figures mechanically,
had no idea of the amount of unnecessary work he was doing. The minute
hands of the clock dragged around. Thorpe droned down the long column.
The clerk scratched industriously, repeating in a half voice each
description as it was transcribed.

At length the task was finished. It became necessary to type duplicate
lists of the descriptions. While the somnolent youth finished this task,
Thorpe listened for the messenger boy on the stairs.

A faint slam was heard outside the rickety old building. Hasty steps
sounded along the corridor. The landlooker merely stopped the drumming
of his fingers on the broad arm of the chair. The door flew open, and
Wallace Carpenter walked quickly to him.

Thorpe's face lighted up as he rose to greet his partner. The boy had
not forgotten their compact after all.

"Then it's all right?" queried the latter breathlessly.

"Sure," answered Thorpe heartily, "got 'em in good shape."

At the same time he was drawing the youth beyond the vigilant
watchfulness of Mr. Morrison.

"You're just in time," he said in an undertone. "Never had so close a
squeak. I suppose you have cash or a certified check: that's all they'll
take here."

"What do you mean?" asked Carpenter blankly.

"Haven't you that money?" returned Thorpe quick as a hawk.

"For Heaven's sake, isn't it here?" cried Wallace in consternation. "I
wired Duncan, my banker, here last night, and received a reply from him.
He answered that he'd see to it. Haven't you seen him?"

"No," repeated Thorpe in his turn.

"What can we do?"

"Can you get your check certified here near at hand?"

"Yes."

"Well, go do it. And get a move on you. You have precisely until that
boy there finishes clicking that machine. Not a second longer."

"Can't you get them to wait a few minutes?"

"Wallace," said Thorpe, "do you see that white whiskered old lynx in the
corner? That's Mo