ys. He's wrong. I don't care if he is the
biggest copper expert in the country."

"Then you won't invest?"

"I have invested--bought the whole outfit, lock, stock and barrel."

"But why? What do you want with it if the property is no good?" asked
Eaton in surprise.

Ridgway laughed shortly. "I don't want it, but the Consolidated does.
Two of their experts were up at Alpine last week, and both of them
reported favorably. I've let it leak out to their lawyer, O'Malley,
that Miller thought well of it; in fact, I arranged to let one of their
spies steal a copy of his report to us."

"But when they know you have bought it?"

"They won't know till too late. I bought through a dummy. It seemed a
pity not to let then have the property since they wanted it so badly,
so this morning he sold out for me to the Consolidated at a profit of a
hundred and fifty thousand."

Eaton grinned appreciatively. It was in startling finesse of this sort
his chief excelled, and Stephen was always ready with applause.

"I notice that Hobart slipped out of town last night. That is where he
must have been going. He'll be sick when he learns how you did him."

Ridgway permitted himself an answering smile. "I suppose it will
irritate him a trifle, but that can't be helped. I needed that money to
get clear on that last payment for the Sherman Bell."

"Yes, I was worried about that. Notes have been piling up against us
that must be met. There's the Ransom note, too. It's for a hundred
thousand."

"He'll extend it," said the chief confidently.

"He told me he would have to have his money when it came due. I've
noticed he has been pretty close to Mott lately. I expect he has an
arrangement with the Consolidated to push us."

"I'm watching him, Steve. Don't worry about that. He did arrange to
sell the note to Mott, but I stopped that little game."

"How?"

"For a year I've had all the evidence of that big government timber
steal of his in a safety-deposit vault. Before he sold, I had a few
words with him. He changed his mind and decided he preferred to hold
the notes. More, he is willing to let us have another hundred thousand
if we have to have it."

Eaton's delight bubbled out of him in boyish laughter. "You're a
wonder, Waring. There's nobody like you. Can't any of them touch
you--not Harley himself, by Jove."

"We'll have a chance to find that out soon, Steve."

"Yes, they say he's coming out in person to run the fight against you