here is n't any such animal."

"But there is. She has--" Then he stopped, as though to cover the
slip. Fairchild leaned forward.

"She?"

Mr. Barnham gave the appearance of a very flustered man.

"My tongue got away from me; I should n't have said it. I really
should n't have said it. If she ever finds it out, it will mean
trouble for me. But truly," and he beamed, "you are such a tough
customer to deal with and so suspicious--no offense meant, of
course--that I really was forced to it. I--feel sure she will forgive
me."

"Whom do you mean by 'she'?"

Mr. Barnham smiled in a knowing manner.

"You and I both know," came his cryptic answer. "She is your one
great, good friend. She thinks a great deal of you, and you have done
several things to cause that admiration. Now, Mr. Fairchild, coming to
the point, suppose she should point a way out of your troubles?"

"How?"

"In the first place, you and your partner are in very great
difficulties."

"Are we?" Fairchild said it sarcastically.

"Indeed you are, and there is no need of attempting to conceal the
fact. Your friend, whose name must remain a secret, does not love
you--don't ever think that--but--"

Then he hesitated as though to watch the effect on Fairchild's face.
There was none; Robert had masked it. In time the words went on: "But
she does think enough of you to want to make you happy. She has
recently done a thing which gives her a great deal of power in one
direction. In another, she has connections who possess vast money
powers and who are looking for an opening here in the west. Now,--" he
made a church steeple out of his fingers and leaned back in his chair,
staring vacuously at the ceiling, "if you will say the word and do a
thing which will relieve her of a great deal of embarrassment, I am
sure that she can so arrange things that life will be very easy for you
henceforth."

"I 'm becoming interested."

"In the first place, she is engaged to be married to a very fine young
man. You, of course, may say differently, and I do not know--I am only
taking her word for it. But--if I understand it, your presence in
Ohadi has caused a few disagreements between them and--well, you know
how willful and headstrong girls will be. I believe she has committed
a few--er--indiscretions with you."

"That's a lie!" Fairchild's temper got away from him and his fist
banged on the table. "That's a lie and you know it!"

"Pardon me--er--