some day, the way he's thrown me."

"I--I--don't know--" wavered Bland. Mr. Magee, in the card-room, knew
that Hayden's emissary was tottering on the brink.

"You could set up in business," whined Mr. Max. "Why, if I'd had that
much money at your age, I'd be a millionaire to-day."

"You get the package," suggested the mayor, "take twenty thousand out,
and slip the rest to me. No questions asked. I guess there ain't nobody
mixed up in this affair will go up on the housetops and shout about it
when we get back to Reuton."

"Well,--" began Bland. He was lost. Suddenly the quiet of Baldpate
Mountain was assailed by a loud pounding at the inn door, and a voice
crying, "Bland. Let me in."

"There's Hayden now," cried Mr. Bland.

"It ain't too late," came the mayor's voice, "You can do it yet. It
ain't too late."

"Do what?" cried Bland in a firm tone. "You can't bribe me, Cargan." He
raised his voice. "Go round to the east door, Mr. Hayden." Then he
added, to Cargan: "That's my answer. I'm going to let him in."

"Let him in," bellowed the mayor. "Let the hound in. I guess I've got
something to say to Mr. Hayden."

There came to Magee's ears the sound of opening doors, and of returning
footsteps.

"How do you do, Cargan," said a voice new to Baldpate.

"Cut the society howdydoes," replied the mayor hotly. "There's a little
score to be settled between me and you, Hayden. I ain't quite wise to
your orchid-in-the-buttonhole ways. I don't quite follow them. I ain't
been bred in the club you hang around--they blackballed me when I tried
to get in. You know that. I'm a rough rude man. I don't understand your
system. When I give my word, I keep it. Has that gone out of style up on
the avenue, where you live?"

"There are conditions--" began Hayden.

"The hell there are!" roared Cargan. "A man's word's his word, and he
keeps it to me, or I know the reason why. You can't come down to the
City Hall with any new deal like this. I was to have two hundred
thousand. Why didn't I get it?"

"Because," replied Hayden smoothly, "the--er--little favor you were to
grant me in return is to be made useless by the courts."

"Can I help that?" the mayor demanded. "Was there anything about that in
the agreement? I did my work. I want my pay. I'll have it, _Mister_
Hayden."

Hayden's voice was cool and even as he spoke to Bland.

"Got the money, Joe?"

"Yes," Bland answered.

"Where?"

"Well--we'd better wait, hadn't we?" Bla