eak. There was neither haste nor deliberation.

"There is no use in preliminaries. I take it, Mr. Seymour, that what
brought you out here, was the theft of the fifty thousand dollars of the
company's money?"

Seymour nodded curtly to Winston's question. Winston resumed.

"There's no use calling it by a softer name; but I submit that there
were modifying circumstances which may appeal to you. Miss Lonsdale will
submit them; Mr. Berl will not be here. No one knows exactly where he
is. I am sure that he took the money without, at the time, realizing
fully what his act would be called. I think I am right in saying that he
is driven to desperation, now that he is brought face to face with his
own interpretation of what he has done. If you insist, I am confident
that he can be found within twenty-four hours, and that he will come
here of his own accord, but I hope that you will not insist upon this
step. When I find him, I want to be able to tell him exactly what he is
to expect."

Without comment, Seymour turned to Helen.

"What are the modifying circumstances?"

Without a quaver, Helen met Seymour's piercing glance. She was alive to
the fact that a single false step might mean ruin to Elijah, but she did
not fear.

"For years, Mr. Berl has studied the conditions of orange growing, not
only in this country, but in others. Previous to the organization of the
Las Cruces company, he began a series of investigations as to the ranges
of temperature. These investigations were not completed at the time this
company was formed, farther than this. He had found that the greater
part of the lands now held by the Las Cruces were in a belt where the
temperature never went to freezing. He did not then know how much more
extensive the belt was. At that time he transferred every foot of land
which he controlled." Helen paused, looking at Seymour. He appeared
politely patient, questioning the bearing of her words. She resumed.

"From this time he did not act alone, nor was he alone responsible for
what was done. In my capacity of secretary, I discovered, what he did
not tell you of, that is, the frostless belt. From maps, I found that
the belt reached into territory not owned by the company, and I brought
these facts to his notice. Whether rightly or not, this does not matter,
he feared that I or others would make use of this knowledge. This fear
led him to act at once without consulting the wishes of the company.
There were movemen