worked for Paul Smith, who knows the
kind of men he has around his hotel too well to hire a thief. I'm as
sure as I draw breath that you came here to steal my blacks. Yes, and
that you were _hired_ to do this by another party. What was the sum of
money he promised you, Jake, if you were successful; and is he around
here with you?"

The man made no reply, though various expressive changes took place in
the looks on his face. So Obed, after waiting several minutes to hear
what the other might choose to say, went on.

"I said before that if we take you down to Lathrop you'll be locked up,
and when court is in session placed on trial, charged with attempted
robbery. Your picture will be taken, and sent broadcast to every city,
so if you're wanted for anything big, the authorities will know just
where to find you. That may not be pleasant for you to hear, Jake, but
it's what I mean to have done. There's only one way you can escape it.
Do you want to hear what that way is?"

"Yuh're away off the track, young feller," blurted the man, obstinately
shaking his head in a contrary way, "I ain't done nawthin' to make me
askeered o' the law officers. Jake Storms is my name, all right, too,
and I'm meanin' to trap over on the Cranberry Creek section. And I'm on
my way down to Lathrop right now to meet a Mr. Jasper, who'll vouch for
my character, sure he will. But go ahead, and say what yuh meant to,
boy. It won't do me any harm to hear it, I reckons."

"This is the chance you'll have to get scot free, and the only chance,"
said Obed solemnly. "Tell me who hired you to rob my fur farm, and not
leave a single black in the burrows, and I'll let you go free. Will you
take my offer, or risk a prison sentence, Jake?"

The man hesitated. That alone was enough to convince Max that he was
guilty; for undoubtedly he must be weighing in the balance Obed's offer,
with the possibility of making his escape through the assistance of
companions.

"Ain't got nawthin' to say, boy," he finally growled, as though making
up his mind. Obed started up, and hastening over to a desk at one end
of the room he hurriedly searched through a drawer until he found what
he was looking for; after which he again sat down beside the man with
the tied hands.

It was a photograph which he held up before the prisoner, and Max could
see it was a man's face on the card.

"Look at that, Jake Storms, and tell me, did _he_ put it into your head
to come up here and c