, then," muttered Harry.

"We don't need to tell him anything, nor do we need to bring him out
here to see how we are filling in the Man-killer. If we don't tell Danes
much he may not last long. The Colthwaite people ought soon to grow
tired of keeping agents here who don't succeed in hindering our work."

"Whew! I shall be glad of a sleep to-night, after all the excitement of
last night," declared Hazelton, as the young engineers rode into Paloma
at the close of the day's work.

On the porch, lolling in a reclining chair with his feet elevated to the
railing, sat Frank Danes.

"Back from toil, gentlemen?" was his pleasant greeting.

"Long enough to get sufficient sleep to carry us through to-morrow," was
Tom Reade's unruffled response.

"You do look tired," assented Danes, rising and coming toward them. "Yet
I hear that, personally, you don't have hard work to do."

"We don't work at all, if you take that view of it," Harry retorted.
"Yet there's a thing called responsibility, and many wise men have
declared that it takes more out of a man than hours of toiling with pick
and shovel."

"Oh, I can believe that's so," agreed Danes. "Going into dinner now?"

"After a bath and a change of clothing," Tom replied.

"Then, if you really don't mind, I'll wait and dine at the same table
with you."

"If you can wait that long we shall be charmed to have your company,"
Tom assured him as the young engineers stepped inside.

Frank Danes half started as they left him.

"Reade's tone sounded a bit peculiar," muttered the newcomer to himself.
"I wonder why? Perhaps I have forced myself a little too much upon him
and Reade has taken a dislike to me."

If Tom had taken a dislike to the newcomer, Danes could not be sure of
it from the young chief engineer's manner at table. Harry Hazelton, too,
was almost gracious during the meal.

"They're a pair of half-smart, half-simple boobs," decided Danes, as he
smoked a cigar alone after dinner.

"Tom, I think your great intellect has gone astray for once," remarked
Hazelton, in the privacy of their room upstairs.

"I never knew that I had any great intellect," Reade laughed. "However,
I was born to be suspicious once in a while. I suppose you were
referring to Frank Danes."

"Yes; and he appears to be a mighty decent fellow."

"I'm sure I hope he is," yawned Tom. "I'm willing to give him the
benefit of the doubt. I'm going to bed, Harry. What do you say?"

Hazelton was a