formed a little syndicate.
Nickleby advanced the wherewithal to purchase the land, Ferguson bought
it up quietly and shrewdly through different agents at half its value,
and the Honorable Milt's contribution was to engineer the Government's
purchase of the site. In fact, we obtained the proof that it was he
who proposed the whole deal to Nickleby in the first place. The site
was purchased piecemeal, at sacrifice prices, from individual lot
owners for a total of $50,000. Its market value was $100,000. It was
sold to the Government for $200,000. The profit of $150,000 was split
three ways between your uncle, Ferguson and Nickleby. These are facts,
Mr. Kendrick, which have been established beyond question by my editor,
Mr. McAllister, by personal investigation."

She paused and looked away from him to escape evidence of the pain
which she knew her words were giving him. His face seemed haggard in
the feeble flicker of the candle. Stiles had sat silent throughout,
poking some dried pine-needles into a little heap with a stick. He
continued carefully to poke them together and scatter them again, poke
them together and scatter them again.

"You are quite sure--of the proof?"

"I'm awfully sorry, Mr. Kendrick," and he looked up at her sympathetic
tones to find tears in her eyes. "There is no mistake. The _Recorder_
has the sworn affidavits to prove its charges in connection with the
real-estate deal and Mr. McAllister has shown me photos of the cheques."

Phil sat as if dazed. He could not trust himself to speak. He fought
against belief in his uncle's dereliction, but there seemed no loophole
of escape from such evidence and he knew that Cristy Lawson could have
no object in attempting to deceive him. She was telling him the truth.

This, then, was the sort of thing Ben Wade had had in mind when he said
there was nothing to be gained by shutting one's eyes to the fact that
many a good man had found the political game as it was played these
days too many for him. He knew what McAllister had up his sleeve
perhaps. Was it part of the puzzle which the railroad president was
trying to piece together? What had Wade done with the stolen money
that Cristy had given him? He had had it photographed, for one thing,
and turned the photos over to McAllister! He had been helping Cristy
in her work! At the same time he had been trying to save Aunt Dolly
from--what? The suffering she would undergo under the disgrace