those
deeds there must be something crooked about them. If they had been made
years ago, why hadn't they been handed over? And why was Braden talking
to him? The only answer was that he must be supposed to know something
which he did not. However, being a fair poker player he remembered that
the bluff of a pat hand has been known to win. He shot at a big venture:
"As long as she doesn't know any more than those deeds tell her, I guess
she won't make you any trouble," he said.

There was no doubt at all in Mr. Braden's mind now about Garland.

"Look here," he said, "are you going to make trouble for me--I mean are
you going to try to?"

Garland was amazed at the result of his random shot, but had no
objection to picking up the birds thus fallen at his feet.

"Not if you do the fair thing," he replied.

"What do you call fair?" Mr. Braden demanded.

Garland was in deep water. Braden wanted him to put a price on silence.
Well, he had no idea of the price Braden would be prepared to pay.

"Fifty-fifty," he replied at a venture.

"Fifty-fifty!" Mr. Braden echoed. "Why, you hold-up, you sneaking
safe-robber, I'll see you damned first. Those deeds you stole aren't
worth the paper they're written on."

Here was real news for Garland. Deeds had been stolen from Braden's
safe. If they were the real deeds of the property and French and Braden
had delivered bogus ones to that girl, then Braden was in a devil of a
mess. And Braden thought _he_ had them.

"I'll take a chance on that," he replied.

But Mr. Braden, since the loss of the deeds, had been busy mentally
constructing a bomb-proof defense, and this had taken very nearly the
form anticipated by Judge Riley.

"Then you won't get a nickel out of it," he told Garland. "They might
make a certain amount of trouble, but that's all. I'm not going to be
held up. You think because you stole that old note and statement of
yours when you took the deeds that I've no strings on you? Well, you try
anything and see."

Garland in his surprise nearly exposed his hand. Here was a rotten
complication, which gave him a very live interest in the affair. While
evidence of his old transgression was in Braden's hands he had been sure
it would not be used. But now somebody else had it. Who would have an
interest in taking it, as well as deeds affecting the coal lands?
Obviously Mackay, who would like nothing better than to get something on
him.

The position, then, in Garland's min