t know; I guess not. Somehow, I've never had much use for him;
and, besides, I've had another plan in mind."

"And that was?"

"To organize another company and build a plant big enough to run him
out."

Margery was turning the leaves of an illustrated prospectus of an Idaho
irrigation company, and was apparently much more deeply interested in
the electrotyped pictures than in the fortunes of Mr. Edward Raymer. And
when she went on, she ignored the obliterative business suggestion and
remained in the narrower channel of the personalities.

"Why haven't you any use for him?"

"Oh, I don't know: because, until just lately, he has never seemed to
have much use for me, I guess. It's a stand-off, so far as likings go. I
offered to reincorporate his outfit for him six months ago, and told him
I'd take fifty-one per cent of the reorganization stock myself; but he
wouldn't talk about it. Said what little he had was his own, and he
proposed to keep it."

"But now he is willing to let you help him?"

"Not much; he don't look at it in that light. He wants to borrow money
from the bank and put up the stock of his close corporation as
collateral. It's safe enough, but I don't believe I'll do it."

The chatelaine of Mereside laid the prospectus aside and came abruptly
to the point.

"I want you to do it," she said, decisively.

"The devil you do!" Then, with the dry door-hinge chuckle: "It was a
waste of good money to put in the ice plant while you're here, Madgie.
What's in the wind, now?"

"Maybe I'll tell you--sometime."

The president chuckled again and tilted to the comfortable angle in the
arm-chair.

"Tell me now; you don't need to beat any of the bushes with me, little
girl. If you say the word, I'll pinch him for you."

"I didn't say that I wanted him pinched. But I do want you to put him
under obligations to you--the heavier the better. His mother and sister
have gone out of their way to snub me, and I want to play even."

Grierson wagged his huge head, and this time the chuckle grew to a
guffaw.

"I thought maybe that was the game. But it won't work with him; not for
a single minute."

"Why won't it?"

"Because he ain't the man to go to his women-folks when he gets into hot
water. He'll keep it to himself; and they'll go on bluffing you, same as
ever."

Miss Grierson pulled on her gauntlets and made ready to go, leisurely,
as befitted her pose.

"That is where you are mistaken," she objected, coo