mething's going on. That Pillows man you
scared knows, and Peaney acts like the man of mystery in one of the kind
of plays we get around here. It's breaking out all over them.... I'll
bet they've fleeced Ovid, and now they're hiding him--to save themselves
more than him."

"And Ovid's the kind that would let himself be hid," said Scattergood.
"Do you and me work together on this job?"

"If I can help--"

"You bet you kin.... We'll jest let Ovid lie hid while we kind of
maneuver around Peaney some--commencin' right soon. Peaney ever aspire
to take you to dinner?"

"Yes," she said, shortly.

"Git organized to go with him to-night...."

* * * * *

It was in the neighborhood of five o'clock when Mr. Peaney came into the
Mountain House and stopped at the cigar counter for cigarettes.

"Any more friendly to-day, sister?" he asked.

Pansy smiled and leaned across the case. "The trouble with you," she
said, in a low tone, "is that you're a piker."

"Piker--me?"

"Always after small change."

"Just show me some real money once," he said, flamboyantly.

"It would scare you," she said.

"Show me some--you'd see how it would scare me."

"I wonder," she said, musingly, "if you have the nerve?"

"For what?" he said, with quickened interest.

"To go after a wad that I know of?"

"Say," he said, his eyes narrowing, his face assuming a look of cupidity
and cunning, "do you know something? If you do, come on out where we can
eat and talk. If there's anything in it I'll split with you."

"I know you will," she said, promptly. "Fifty-fifty.... In an hour, at
Case's restaurant."

At the hour set Pansy and Mr. Peaney found a corner table in the little
restaurant, and when they had ordered Peaney asked, "Well, what you got
on your mind?"

"A big farmer from the backwoods--with a trunkful of money. Don't know
how he got it. Must have sold the family wood lot, but he's got it with
him ... and he came down to invest it."

"No."

"Honest Injun."

"How much?"

"From what he said it's more than ten thousand dollars."

"Lead me to him."

"He'll need some playing with--thinks he's sharp.... But I've been
talking to him. Guess he took a liking to me. Wanted to take me to
dinner--and he did."

"Say!" exclaimed Mr. Peaney, in admiration, "I had you sized all wrong."

"It'll take nerve," Pansy said.

"It's what I've got most of."

"He's no Ovid Nixon."

"Eh?... What d'you know ab