ey pay me a large fee to find out the facts and
report?"

"Oh, well----"

"Hear me out," interrupted Duncan. "These gentlemen have asked me for an
opinion, and they are paying me for it. Of course I must, as an honest
man, give them an honest judgment."

"Oh, that's all right. But you might be mistaken, you know. You've
formed a judgment after a brief trip through the country. That country
seems poverty stricken just now, but that's because it hasn't enjoyed
the stimulating influence of a railroad. It is a better country than you
think, as I can convince you, if you'll let me take you through it in a
carriage. We can start at once--to-morrow morning--run out to the mines
by rail, and there take a carriage and drive through the country. I've
ordered the carriage, with abundant supplies, from Chicago. I want to
show you the resources of the country. I'll convince you, before we get
back, that the country will build up as soon as the railroad penetrates
it, and that there will be an abundant traffic for the road."

"Pardon me," answered Duncan. "I've already been through that region.
I've questioned every farmer as to his crops. I've questioned every
merchant in every village as to his possible shipments by the railroad,
and as to the amount of goods he hopes to sell if the railroad is built.
Their replies are hopelessly discouraging. Taking their outside
estimates as certain, there cannot be enough traffic over such a line
for twenty years to come, to pay operating expenses. In the meantime the
men whom you are asking to build the road must lose not only the
interest on their investment, but the investment itself. I know all the
facts that bear upon the case."

"All but one," answered Tandy.

"What is that one?"

"That a favorable report from you means a check, right now and here,
to-night, payable to 'Bearer,' for ten thousand dollars. My check is
supposed to be good for all it calls for. You can have it now and it
will be cashed to-morrow morning. Here it is. Payable to bearer as it
is, you needn't endorse it, and you need not be known in the matter in
any way. I'm talking 'business' now."

Duncan scanned the face of his interlocutor for an instant. Then he rose
from his seat, and with utterance choked by emotion managed to say:

"I quite understand. You would bribe me with that check. You would hire
me to betray the confidence of the men who are paying me a very much
smaller sum than ten thousand dollars. Yo