nclinations, and stand
as a mediator; for I must look after the best interests of the Sayers
Automobile Company as well as the interests of Jim Gollop. However, here
you are. Sign these."

Jimmy signed the contracts with as glad a hand as if he had been
affixing his signature to some document of inheritance that would bring
him a million. He put his own copy in his pocket with as much care as if
it were precious beyond computation.

"Now," he said, "when do I meet Mr. Sayers?"

"Sayers," said Martin, as he put the original contract into his pocket,
"is going somewhere West to-day. You'll see him soon enough. His
instructions are that you are to go immediately to San Augustine,
Florida, to see what is being done by rival concerns down there at the
beach races. I suppose he expects you to pick up points and information.
Keep track of your expense account. Learn all you can. Then report at
Princetown."

"But--about Granger! Am I to----"

"You'll be away at least two weeks," said Martin. "Many things can
happen in that time. If I were you, I'd forget that the Judge is on
earth. I'll--I'll tell Sayers about this matter," said his benefactor,
with the first sign of hesitancy that Jim had ever seen him display.
"And in the meantime, I'll do all I can to get that Judge to show some
sense. You can be certain of that. Well, may good luck go with you!"

At exactly seven-thirty that evening Mr. James Gollop reluctantly
departed from the street in front of the Martha Putnam hotel, where he
had taken up sentry go after convincing himself that MacDougall Alley
was dark.

"Got to catch my train to San Augustine," he warned himself. "Can't put
it off a minute longer because the meeting is on there day after
to-morrow, and it won't wait until I can tell Mary Allen all about it!
But if I don't straighten this matter out so that hereafter I can at
least write her, or send her a wire, I'm no organizer at all and my
chance with the Sayers Company isn't worth a tinker's curse."

As if he were forever scraping under the wire just before the barrier
fell, Jimmy got the last vacant berth in the sleeper and, recovering
from his Martha Putnam disappointment, whistled blithely as a porter
carried his suitcase to the Pullman steps. He stood outside to enjoy the
last of his cigar and was mildly interested in the final rush of
passengers when a porter came rapidly wheeling an invalid's chair in
which sat a man bodily broken and hideously sca