Larry bounded for the stairs. "He has had these attacks
before, but this is the worst."

"I'll go for the doctor," Mr. Braden offered.

"Larry will go. Your horse isn't fast enough. I wish you'd stay here, if
you don't mind. The other boys are out and I'm alone."

But in a moment Larry returned with a hypodermic syringe in its case and
a vial of tablets. Kathleen dissolved one of the latter, and baring her
father's arm administered the injection with a swiftness and steadiness
which commanded Mr. Braden's admiration. "We'd better get him up to his
room," she said.

Larry picked up his father's inert body and mounted the stairs. He laid
him on his bed.

"I'll look after him now," Kathleen said. "You won't mind waiting till
Larry comes back, Mr. Braden? And--_ride_, Larry!"

Mr. Braden returned to the study. In a few moments he heard the dancing
rataplan of the hoofs of an eager, nervous horse, a curse from Larry,
the hoof-beats clamored past, steadied to a drumming roar, and died in
the distance. Evidently Larry was riding at a pace which probably meant
a foundered horse.

Mr. Braden helped himself to a drink. Inadvertently he sat down in the
chair which had held Godfrey French, and suddenly realizing that fact
vacated it hastily. Outside the wind had increased to a gale, and with
it was rain. The window was open and the drawn blind slatted to and fro.
Mr. Braden selected another chair and sat down.

But in a moment he arose, went to the door and listened. Leaving it ajar
he went to the desk and proceeded to pull out drawer after drawer,
rooting among their contents. Not finding what he sought he turned to
the safe. He stared at the impassive face of the dial, shook his head,
half turned away, and then caught the handle and twisted it. To his
amazement the bolts snicked back. Apparently whoever had closed the safe
had neglected to turn the knob of the combination.

Mr. Braden burrowed in the safe's contents, and with an exclamation of
satisfaction seized a packet of legal-looking documents bound by a
rubber band. He stripped off the band and riffled the papers. Apparently
he found what he sought, for he selected two documents, replacing the
rest. Then, crossing the room to the light he opened the documents and
proceeded to verify them by glancing at their signatures.

As he stood he fronted the window; and as he raised his eyes from the
perusal the down blind bellied and lifted with a gust of wind. In the
enl