by the very obscure clerk who had filed away the Thorne
affidavits and who happened to be a friend of the man to whom in devious
ways and through many mouths had come an expression of the Gay wishes.
It was O.K.'d by a dozen others. The High Official added his O.K. to
the others. Then he promptly forgot about it, as did every one else
concerned, save the men most vitally interested.

In due time Thorne, then in Los Angeles, received a brief communication
from Stafford, the obscure clerk.

"In regard to your charges against Supervisor H.M. Plant, the Department
begs to advise you that, after examining carefully the evidence for the
defence, it finds the charges not proven."

Thorne stared at the paper incredulously, then he did something he had
never permitted himself before; he wrote in expostulation to the Higher
Official.

"I cannot imagine what the man's defence could be," he wrote, in part,
"but my evidence a mere denial could hardly controvert. The whole
countryside knows the man is crooked; they know he was investigated;
they are now awaiting with full confidence the punishment for
well-understood peculation. I can hardly exaggerate the body blow to the
Service such a decision would give. Nobody will believe in it again."

On reading this the Higher Official called in one of his subordinates.

"I have this from Thorne," said he. "What do you think of it?"

The subordinate read it through.

"I'll look it up," said he.

"Do so and bring me the papers," advised the Higher Official.

The Higher Official knew Thorne's work and approved it. The inspector
was efficient, and throughout all his reforming of conditions in the
West, the Department had upheld him. The Department liked efficiency,
and where the private interests of its own grafters were not concerned,
it gave good government.

In due time the subordinate came back, but without the papers.

"Stafford says he'll look them up, sir," said he. "He told me to tell
you that the case was the one you were asking Senator Barrow about."

"Ah!" said the Higher Official.

He sat for some time in deep thought. Then he called through the open
door to his stenographer.

"_In re_ your's 21st," he dictated, "I repose every confidence in Mr.
Stafford's judgment; and unless I should care to supersede him, it would
hardly be proper for me to carry any matter over his head."

Thorne immediately resigned, and shortly went into landlooking for a
lumbering firm in O