avesty on headgear, his moccasins, worn and dirty, his face
bearded and bronzed, tried as much as possible to avoid attention. He
sent an instant telegram to Wallace Carpenter conceived as follows:

"Wire thirty thousand my order care Land Office, Detroit, before nine
o'clock to-morrow morning. Do it if you have to rustle all night.
Important."

Then he took a seat in the baggage car on a pile of boxes and
philosophically waited for the train to start. He knew that sooner or
later the man, provided he were on the train, would stroll through
the car, and he wanted to be out of the way. The baggage man proved
friendly, so Thorpe chatted with him until after bedtime. Then he
entered the smoking car and waited patiently for morning.

So far the affair had gone very well. It had depended on personal
exertions, and he had made it go. Now he was forced to rely on outward
circumstances. He argued that the up-river man would have first to make
his financial arrangements before he could buy in the land, and this
would give the landlooker a chance to get in ahead at the office. There
would probably be no difficulty about that. The man suspected nothing.
But Thorpe had to confess himself fearfully uneasy about his own
financial arrangements. That was the rub. Wallace Carpenter had been
sincere enough in his informal striking of partnership, but had he
retained his enthusiasm? Had second thought convicted him of folly? Had
conservative business friends dissuaded him? Had the glow faded in
the reality of his accustomed life? And even if his good-will remained
unimpaired, would he be able, at such short notice, to raise so large a
sum? Would he realize from Thorpe's telegram the absolute necessity of
haste?

At the last thought, Thorpe decided to send a second message from the
next station. He did so. It read: "Another buyer of timber on same train
with me. Must have money at nine o'clock or lose land." He paid day
rates on it to insure immediate delivery. Suppose the boy should be away
from home!

Everything depended on Wallace Carpenter; and Thorpe could not but
confess the chance slender. One other thought made the night seem long.
Thorpe had but thirty dollars left.

Morning came at last, and the train drew in and stopped. Thorpe, being
in the smoking car, dropped off first and stationed himself near the
exit where he could look over the passengers without being seen. They
filed past. Two only he could accord the role of ma