, you're much mistaken," Mr. Braden stated emphatically. "If
you can bring any evidence--"

"I told you I couldn't, because I think you know that already. And you
probably know we are broke. Being broke, we're not going to be
particular about how we get money."

"Are you threatening me?" Mr. Braden asked somewhat nervously.

"Call it what you like. You're pretty smooth, Braden, but you're also a
hog; and you're a fool to hold out on us. You'll lose by it. Do you
think I don't know where the money came from for a lot of things--for
blowing Mackay's ditch for instance? Do you suppose I thought Garland
was putting up himself?"

"Are you trying to blackmail me?" Mr. Braden demanded.

"No," Gerald replied. "I'm giving you a chance now to come through."

"You won't get any money from me," Mr. Braden declared. "I financed your
father from time to time for reasons of--er--friendship, but I'm not
going to do the like for you young men. If you want money, earn it like
other people."

"That's your last word, is it?"

"Absolutely my last."

"All right," said Gerald. "Now go ahead, Braden, and be careful you
don't bump into something hard."

Mr. Braden drove on. At first Gerald's words gave him considerable
uneasiness, but as he thought them over he came to the comfortable
conclusion that they were principally bluff. Gerald had admitted that he
had no evidence of his father's interest. Also they were broke, as Mr.
Braden knew very well. All they had was the ranch, which was mortgaged
to the hilt, and the mortgage was far in arrears. Likely they would get
out of the country, scatter and go to the devil individually.

He had seen no more of Angus Mackay, though he knew that the latter had
had a survey made. There could be no collusion between Mackay and the
French boys, to embarrass him. The latter were all more or less hostile
to Mackay, and especially Blake.

So Mr. Braden drove home, had supper, presided at his meeting and sought
his own apartments. There, having lighted his lamp, he opened his little
safe and, taking out a bundle of papers, returned with them to the
light. By rights, the papers which he had abstracted from the safe of
Godfrey French should have been on top of the bundle; but they were not.
He stripped off the rubber band which bound the bundle, and ran through
it rapidly. He could not find what he sought.

Mr. Braden sat up straight, his eyes widening in an expression which
bore a strong family res