ened since; and we were there ten minutes after our first visit when
we learned the papers weren't among those in his pocket. I think he's
got it cached away somewhere still."

"Then we'll give him another dose of our medicine."

"If I know anything about men, he told the truth," Sorenson said.

"Well, if the girl has it, we've got to get it from her if I have to
wring her neck to do it." It was Burkhardt's inflamed utterance.

A pause followed.

"Sorenson, your boy is engaged to her," Vorse stated.

"Yes."

"Then it's up to him to get it first thing in the morning. Maybe it
goes against the grain to let him know about this business of the
past, but it ain't going to knock him over; he's no fool, he's a wise
bird, he understands that a good many things are done in business that
aren't advertised. He knows we weren't missionaries in the old days.
And she'll hand it over for him when she might not for any one else."

"That's right, Sorenson," Burkhardt affirmed, his scowling face
visibly clearing.

"Ed went away somewhere this evening, that's the only drawback to your
scheme. Said something about Bowenville and catching the night train
to Santa Fe, and that he might be gone maybe a couple of days and
maybe a week."

"Hell!" Burkhardt exploded, in consternation.

Vorse however remained cool.

"Then you must start telegrams to head him off, start them the instant
you get home. Telephone to Bowenville the message you want sent and
have the operator dispatch it to all trains going both ways since
early evening, in order to make sure. If you can reach him within two
or three hours, wherever he is, he can hop off, catch a train back
and be here by to-morrow evening. Make your message urgent. And
meanwhile we'll do what we can to get hold of that paper. At any rate
we can keep her from seeing Weir. If we have to watch her we'll do it;
and if we have to stop her from going to the dam we'll do that someway
too. You might invite her over to-morrow to spend the day at your
house."

"Do you think she'll be likely to come if she reads that document?"
the banker inquired coldly.

"Why not? Tell her right off the bat that the thing is a lie and a
forgery and that you want to explain about how it was made. She might
fall for that and carry the document to you. She's always had a good
opinion of you, hasn't she?"

"Yes."

"Then why should she change at a mere story."

"You're right," Sorenson exclaimed with sudden e