e way he
always is, for fear some one's going to do him."

"It isn't a bad outlook," admitted Newmark.

But Heinzman offered a new problem for Orde's consideration.

"I haf talked with Proctor," said he, "and ve like your scheme. If you
can deliffer our logs here for two dollars and a quarter, why, that is
better as ve can do it; but how do ve know you vill do it?"

"I'll guarantee to get them here all right," laughed Orde.

"But what is your guarantee good for?" persisted Heinzman blandly,
locking his fingers over his rotund little stomach. "Suppose the logs
are not deliffered--what then? How responsible are you financially?"

"Well, we're investing seventy-five thousand dollars or so."

Heinzman rubbed his thumb and forefinger together and wafted the
imaginary pulverisation away.

"Worth that for a judgment," said he.

He allowed a pause to ensue.

"If you vill give a bond for the performance of your contract," pursued
Heinzman, "that vould be satisfactory."

Orde's mind was struck chaotic by the reasonableness of this request,
and the utter impossibility of acceding to it.

"How much of a bond?" he asked.

"Twenty-fife thousand vould satisfy us," said Heinzman. "Bring us a
suitable bond for that amount and ve vill sign your contract."

Orde ran down the stairs to find Newmark. "Heinzman won't sign unless we
give him a bond for performance," he said in a low tone, as he dropped
into the chair next to Newmark.

Newmark removed his unlighted cigar, looked at the chewed end, and
returned it to the corner of his mouth.

"Heinzman has sense," said he drily. "I was wondering if ordinary
business caution was unknown out here."

"Can we get such a bond? Nobody would go on my bond for that amount."

"Mine either," said Newmark. "We'll just have to let them go and drive
ahead without them. I only hope they won't spread the idea. Better get
those other contracts signed up as soon as we can."

With this object in view, Orde started out early the next morning,
carrying with him the duplicate contracts on which Newmark had been
busy.

"Rope 'em in," advised Newmark. "It's Saturday, and we don't want to let
things simmer over Sunday, if we can help it."

About eleven o'clock a clerk of the Welton Lumber Co. entered Mr.
Welton's private office to deliver to Orde a note.

"This just came by special messenger," he explained.

Orde, with an apology, tore it open. It was from Heinzman, and requested
an immedi