t you to
believe me fully until I have proved my innocence by revealing the man
who is guilty. I merely ask you to give me a fair chance to prove my
case. I have told you my suspicions. Now it is up to me to demonstrate
whether they are just or worthless."

Griffin had little to say as they rode back uptown. But when he dropped
Prale at the hotel just before daylight, he gripped him by the hand.

"I want to believe you, Sidney!" he said. "I hope that you have told me
the truth. If you have, I hope you'll be able to clear yourself. If you
only can show me that the boy I was glad to help was not ungrateful,
after all----"

"I'll do it, sir!"

"And then I'll never forgive myself, Sidney!"

"You'll show your forgiveness by handling my affairs for me, sir, in
that event, and by treating me as your son again!" Prale said.

He hurried up to the suite. Murk had been sleeping in a chair in the
living room, as if expecting a call at any moment. He was somewhat
startled to hear Sidney Prale whistling merrily at four o'clock in the
morning.

CHAPTER XXV

AN ACCUSATION

Springing toward him, the masked man stopped two feet from the bound Jim
Farland.

"So you think you know me, do you?" he snarled.

"I have a pretty good idea," Farland said. "There are only a few men in
the city, to my knowledge, who could be hired to do work like this, and
it occurs to me that I have seen those hands of yours before. I think
your face is in the rogues' gallery, too, if you want to know!"

The masked man retreated for a few feet, evidently relieved.

"So you'll not make terms with me," he said. "You'd rather work for
Sidney Prale, would you? Perhaps we can change your mind."

"I doubt that like blazes!"

"You are going to be kept here as a prisoner until I decide what is to
be done with you."

He crossed over to the door, opened it, and called to his men, two of
whom responded.

"I want this man guarded well," he said. "I want you to understand that
I am holding you responsible for him. I'll be back to-morrow evening and
have another talk with him. Give him something to eat now and then, and
fix him so he can sleep, but watch him all the time!"

"I was figurin' on goin' to the city this mornin', boss," one of the men
spoke up.

"You'll do as I say!" the masked man cried.

"But----"

"Don't argue with me, you dog!"

Farland saw the man's eyes flash fire for a moment. And then the masked
man faced toward him agai