im?"

"And I am confident that the other man is a detective. I feel sure he
thinks Miss Atheson is someone he has been commissioned to find. And
they evidently think that I am in the matter to defend the lady. This
morning I left some papers in the safety deposit vault at the First
National, and as I passed the bank a little while ago I saw the constable
talking to the cashier--about me, judging from their confusion as they
acknowledged my greeting through the window. My room was searched this
morning. They didn't find anything, though." Mark laughed as he thought
how disappointed Saunders must have been.

"I hope you will pardon me, Mr. Griffin," said Father Murray, "if I
confine myself for the present to asking questions. Have you ever
noticed the camp of Slavic laborers about a mile east of Killimaga--along
the line of the new railway?"

"I have passed it several times."

"Did you by chance notice," Father Murray went on, "whether this
detective looked like a Slav?"

"On the contrary, he is--" Mark half paused, then hurried on--"an
American." It was not necessary that he mention Saunders' name--not now,
at least.

Father Murray seemed puzzled. "There are two or three educated men in
that camp," he said, "who have been hanging around Killimaga a great deal
of late; and they have been worrying an old parishioner of mine--a
retired farmer who finds plenty of time to worry about everybody else,
since he has no worries of his own. He thinks that these well-dressed
'bosses' are strange residents for a railroad construction camp. He
tells me that he has often been in such camps, but that he had never seen
what he calls 'gintlemen' living in them before."

Mark laughed. "Your old parishioner is a discerning man."

"Uncle Mac," replied Father Murray, "is the kind of man who believes that
virtue stands in the middle. When I first came here he called to see me
to ask about my politics. Uncle Mac is a lifelong Democrat, and when I
told him that I usually voted the Republican ticket he became suspicious.
Just before the election I preached on 'Citizenship'--careful always to
avoid any reference to partisanship. Uncle Mac came in after Mass and
said: 'I think ye were preachin' Republican sintiments this morning
Father.' I said, 'Not at all, Uncle Mac. I made no reference to either
party.' 'No,' said he, 'but yer sintiments were awful highfalutin'.'"

Mark laughed his appreciation. "Wasn't that rather a