Some voice in the street shouts, "Fire!" Grandon with a free hand deals
his adversary a blow, and the next instant he has the street door open.

"What's wrong?" cries a voice. "Who is here?" And the man, a workman,
though Grandon does not recognize him, rushes through in dismay, but
his presence of mind saves worse disaster. The hose in the engine-room
is speedily put in motion, and the hissing flames seem to explode.

Grandon follows in a dazed manner. There are other steps, and an
intense confusion like pandemonium prevails. One stentorian voice
orders, and men go to work with the forces at hand. The dense smoke is
enough to strangle them, but the waves of fire are beaten down. In a
moment they rise again, and now it is a fight with them. Fortunately
they can be taken singly, they have not had time to unite their
overmastering forces.

By the time the engines have reached the spot, the fire is pretty well
conquered. They open the windows to let out the thick, black smoke.
Every one questions, no one knows.

"Wait until to-morrow," says Floyd Grandon, who looks like a swarthy
Arab, he is so covered with grime.

Farley, who is foreman of one department, and lives almost in the
shadow of the building, who was first on the spot, is much puzzled.
"There is something wrong about all this," he declares. "The fire broke
out in four separate places. That was no accident!"

The morning soon dawns. The smoke dissipates slowly, and they find the
damage very small to what it might have been, but the signs of
incendiarism are unmistakable. Grandon goes carefully through the
place, searches every nook and corner, but discovers no trace of
Wilmarth. Then he despatches a messenger for Eugene and the two
gentlemen still at Grandon Park.

Meanwhile he walks up and down the office in deep thought. It seems
easy enough to tell a straightforward story, but what if Wilmarth
should deny all participation in it, treat it as a dream or a false
accusation on his part? He was here alone, he cannot deny that, and he
has no means of proving that Wilmarth was here with him. He found the
office door locked on the outside, as he supposed he should. No one
could believe for a moment that he would set fire to the place when he
had just disposed of it to his advantage, and yet not made a complete
legal transfer, but never was a man placed in more confusing
circumstances. Shall he attack Wilmarth with the power of the law? He
is his sister's h