?" Fairchild asked it eagerly. "Then you 've guessed all
along that--"

But she smiled and cut in.

"I want to thank you for those flowers. They were beautiful."

"You knew that too? I didn't send a card."

"They told me at the telegraph office that you had wired for them.
They--meant a great deal to me."

"It meant more to me to be able to send them." Then Fairchild stared
with a sudden idea. "Maurice 's coming for you at midnight. Why is it
necessary that you be there?"

"Why--" the idea had struck her too--"it is n't. I--I just had n't
thought of it. I was too badly scared, I guess. Everything 's been
happening so swiftly since--since you made the strike up here."

"With them?"

"Yes, they 've been simply crazy about something. You got my note?"

"Yes."

"That was the beginning. The minute Squint Rodaine heard of the
strike, I thought he would go out of his head. I was in the office--I
'm vice-president of the firm, you know," she added with a sarcastic
laugh. "They had to do something to make up for the fact that every
cent of father's money was in it."

"How much?" Fairchild asked the question with no thought of being
rude--and she answered in the same vein.

"A quarter of a million. They 'd been getting their hands on it more
and more ever since father became ill. But they could n't entirely get
it into their own power until the Silver Queen strike--and then they
persuaded him to sign it all over in my name into the company. That's
why I 'm vice-president."

"And is that why you arranged things to buy this mine?" Fairchild knew
the answer before it was given.

"I? I arrange--I never thought of such a thing."

"I felt that from the beginning. An effort was made through a lawyer
in Denver who hinted you were behind it. Some way, I felt differently.
I refused. But you said they were going away?"

"Yes. They 've been holding conferences--father and son--one after
another. I 've had more peace since the strike here than at any time
in months. They 're both excited about something. Last night Maurice
came to me and told me that it was necessary for them all to go to
Chicago where the head offices would be established, and that I must go
with him. I did n't have the strength to fight him then--there was n't
anybody near by who could help me. So I--I told him I 'd go. Then I
lay awake all night, trying to think out a plan--and I thought of you."

"I 'm glad." Fairchild