nd killing the
driver?"

"No. I was twenty miles away at the time of the hold-up and had evidence
to prove it."

"Then you were mentioned in connection with the robbery?"

"If so, only by my enemies. One of the robbers was captured and made a
full confession. He showed where the stolen gold was cached and it was
recovered."

The great man looked with chilly eyes at the young fellow standing in
front of him. He had a sense of having been tricked and imposed upon.

"I have decided not to accept your proposition to cooperate with you in
financing the Jackpot Company, Mr. Sanders." Horace Graham pressed an
electric button and a clerk appeared. "Show this gentleman out, Hervey."

But Sanders stood his ground. Nobody could have guessed from his stolid
imperturbability how much he was depressed at this unexpected failure.

"Do I understand that you are declining this loan because I am connected
with it, Mr. Graham?"

"I do not give a reason, sir. The loan does not appeal to me," the
railroad builder said with chill finality.

"It appealed to you yesterday," persisted Dave.

"But not to-day. Hervey, I will see Mr. Gates at once. Tell McMurray so."

Reluctantly Dave followed the clerk out of the room. He had been
checkmated, but he did not know how. In some way Steelman had got to the
financier with this story that had damned the project. The new treasurer
of the Jackpot Company was much distressed. If his connection with the
company was going to have this effect, he must resign at once.

He walked back to the hotel, and in the corridor of the Albany met a big
bluff cattleman the memory of whose kindness leaped across the years to
warm his heart.

"You don't remember me, Mr. West?"

The owner of the Fifty-Four Quarter Circle looked at the young man and
gave a little whoop. "Damn my skin, if it ain't the boy who bluffed a
whole railroad system into lettin' him reload stock for me!" He hooked an
arm under Dave's and led him straight to the bar. "Where you been? What
you doin'? Why n't you come to me soon as you ... got out of a job?
What'll you have, boy?"

Dave named ginger ale. They lifted glasses.

"How?"

"How?"

"Now you tell me all about it," said West presently, leading the way to a
lounge seat in the mezzanine gallery.

Sanders answered at first in monosyllables, but presently he found
himself telling the story of his failure to enlist Horace Graham in the
Jackpot property as a backer.

The cattl