place run down a little. With the accumulating interest on the mortgage,
ownership would involve a heavy financial burden. Then a straw man would
have made an offer for the place, d'ye understand me? And to get money
for your education and maintenance Braden would have accepted, and to
keep his skirts clean he would have got a court order approving the
sale. Afterward the straw man would have transferred to Braden. Is that
clear to you?"

Angus nodded, amazed.

"Also absence from the place would have weaned you youngsters away from
it," the judge continued. "When you came to me for advice I went to
Braden and read his mind to him, and his face told me I had read it
aright. Since then he has hated me for knowing him for what he knows
himself to be. So, in course of time, he laid a trap for me with a
pretended client and monies for a certain investment. The idea was that
the man with whom I was to invest the monies was to deny it, and they
thought they had it arranged so that I could not produce evidence of
what had become of it. But they were wrong. I had evidence, and with a
very little more I'd have had a clear case of conspiracy against them.
However, I fell short of that and let it go. But one thing it did for
me: It showed me that I needed a clear head, and it gave me the will to
fight the habit that had a grip on me. So there's information in
confidence for you, Angus. Now Braden and French are working together.
French and his sons get the confidence of young fellows with more money
than experience, steer them to Braden who sells them land, and the
commissions are split. Perhaps that is what happened in the Winton case.
Only we can't prove it."

"No," Angus admitted. For the first time he told the judge of the money
he had borrowed from Braden. The old jurist whistled softly.

"What with that and the mortgage arrears, you are not in good shape, my
boy. If I were you, I should make every effort to get clear as soon as
possible."

"The hail hit me badly, but next year, with a good crop and all the new
land I have broken, I ought to be able to make a good payment. Then you
think nothing can be done to help Miss Winton?"

"Braden tried once to find a purchaser for part of it, and he may try
again." The judge's eyes twinkled. "In that case would you consider it
your duty to warn the intending purchaser?"

Angus grinned, flushing a little. "If it would help Miss Winton I would
consider it my duty to mind my own