his, to be frank. A man who doesn't know a bulldog from a bed-spring
isn't likely to be offering a thousand dollars to avenge the death of
one. And the minute you answered my question as to whether you cared
for dogs, I knew you didn't. When you fell for a green ribbon, and
a splay-legged, curly-tailed medal-winner in the brindle bull class
(there's no such class, by the way), I knew you were bluffing. Mr. Dorr,
who--er--has been--er--threatening your life?"

The chemist swung around in his chair.

"What do you know?" he demanded.

"Nothing. I'm guessing. It's a fair guess that a reasonably valuable
brindle bull isn't presented to a man who cares nothing for dogs without
some reason. The most likely reason is protection. Is it in your case?"

"Yes, it is," replied the other, after some hesitation.

"And now the protection is gone. Don't you think you'd better let me in
on this?"

"Let me speak to my--my legal adviser first."

He called up a down-town number on the telephone and asked to be
connected with Judge Elverson. "I may have to ask you to leave the
office for a moment," he said to his caller.

"Very well. But if that is United States District Attorney Roger
Elverson, tell him that it is A. V. R. Jones who wants to know, and
remind him of the missing letter opium advertisement."

Almost immediately Average Jones was called back from the hallway,
whither he had gone.

"Elverson says to tell you the whole thing," said the chemist, "in
confidence, of course."

"Understood. Now, who is it that wants to get rid of you?"

"The Paragon Pressed Meat Company."

Average Jones became vitally concerned in removing an infinitesimal
speck from his left cuff. "Ah," he commented, "the Canned Meat Trust.
What have you been doing to them?"

"Sold them a preparation of my invention for deodorizing certain
by-products used for manufacturing purposes. Several months ago I found
they were using it on canned meats that had gone bad, and then selling
the stuff."

"Would the meat so treated be poisonous?"

"Well--dangerous to any one eating it habitually. I wrote, warning them
that they must stop."

"Did they reply?"

"A man came to see me and told me I was mistaken. He hinted that if I
thought my invention was worth more than I'd received, his principals,
would be glad to take the matter up with me. Shortly after I heard that
the Federal authorities were going after the Trust, so I called on Mr.
Elverson."

"Mis