plied that she was not.

"We'll let the question lie fallow for a time," Shelby arranged.
"Think it over impartially."

She tried to bid him put the thing wholly out of mind, but he adjourned
discussion as summarily as he might a committee meeting, and spoke of
other topics.

It was sundown when they neared the town, returning by way of Little
Poland and the successive quarries bordering the canal. Shelby dropped
a careless glance at the docks and yards of his own company, now quiet
with the day's work done. Then he looked again. Outlined against the
sky a man climbed to the tow-path and walked away. Shelby recognized
Bernard Graves.

"Ride on slowly," he directed. "I'll join you in a minute. There's
something needs looking after in the Eureka."

CHAPTER V

The intruder wheeled at the hoof-beats and waited. Purpling with rage,
Shelby thrust the cob's nozzle fairly in Graves's face.

"You're a damned spy," he taunted.

Graves went pale, but his jaw set.

"You know better, Shelby," he answered, without passion. "I am here
openly. I came before the quarry shut down for the night, as your men
will tell you."

"You're a spy," repeated Shelby, fingering his whip. "Come how or when,
you're a spy. I know your back-door tactics. You sly into other men's
private business, as you're trying to sly into politics."

"I care nothing for any private business of yours which doesn't besmirch
your public character."

"Besmirch!" Shelby pounced upon the word. "I know your kidney--you pure
souls who shirk jury duty and whine down taxes."

Graves backed from the nervous whip.

"I want no words with you," he said.

"I dare say; but you'll have them." He reined the cob to block Graves's
further retreat, forcing him well upon the string-piece of the dock.
"You're here to smell out canal scandals," he charged. "You want to know
what became of the marketable stone that was taken from the canal prism.
You'll get your wish right here and now. I took that stone, my pattern
of civic virtue; sold it, my pink of reformers. You needn't have screwed
Jap Hinchey for that knowledge. I would have told you the truth any
time, and much good may it do you. Are you ass enough to believe that
the contractors went outside their specifications to dispose of the
spoils banks to my company? They had their warrant from Albany in black
and white. Every act was within the law."

"The more shame upon Albany and the law; i