te and blink at me. I know what he
did with his share of the boodle--he had to take care of his political
chums he got into other schemes. I know all about Sam--he was always
borrowing, we will call it, from Peter to pay Paul, and most of it got
into Sam's pocket. Now here's my position; right here's where I come in.
I'm going to help you take care of this, but you've got to act white
with me. I'm not going to be kicked out of town--not unless you go with
me. Is that plain?"

"You're a fool. I understand nothing except that you're trying to
blackmail me; and it won't go. Why, you ought to know that the thing you
accuse Sam of doing would have landed him and me, too, in the
penitentiary. What do you suppose the trustee for the bondholders was
doing? What do you imagine the New York investors were thinking about?"

"They were asleep, Will," Jack replied, with a gleam of malignant humor.
"And Sam was awful slick. Sam could sell winter underwear in hell. And I
guess you could sell anthracite at a profit down there, too. You talk
about the family dignity;--by George, I never started with you fellows!
Running away with another man's wife is tame business compared with your
grafting. And I've got a little more news for you. The clouds are
gathering, you might say, in all parts of the horizon." He swept the
room with a comprehensive gesture. "It's just one of those queer twists
of the screw of fate that brings us all up against Tom Kirkwood. Tom's
smart: he always was, and as straight a man as God Almighty ever put on
the footstool, and he's prying into Sycamore Traction. I stopped off for
a day or two in Indianapolis and got on to this. There was a lawyer and
an officer of the Desbrosses Trust & Guaranty Company out here from New
York to talk things over with Kirkwood,--he has some pull down
there,--and they've employed him. While Sam lived he watched little
things like that; filled up the accountants with champagne and took care
of the statements, but I guess you are not quite as smart as Sam. I
guess it's about all you can do to take care of the bank examiner when
he drops in to shake hands."

William had listened intently, his arms folded, a smile of derision on
his face.

"Just how much do you charge for this information?" he demanded coldly.

"I'm not going to charge you; I'm going to help you, Will. It's my duty
as a brother to warn you and help you out of trouble. Family feeling is
strong in me: I'm not a man to le