ms to be a little
misunderstanding about the title to the land I bought from you."

"You bought no land from me, young man."

"You are president of the Prairie Highlands Association?"

"I was. I severed that connection some months ago."

"Before you wrote me those letters?"

"No, the day after I wrote you the last letter of our correspondence.
I had no connection with the company you mention at the time you made
your purchase. I had discovered that the Prairie Highlands Association
was not upon a firm basis. Of the land which they sold not a foot was
owned by them. Their original title was false and invalid. The
company now is defunct."

"I see," said Roger after a pause. "And knowing that your
recommendations as a United States Senator would influence people to
purchase this land, and knowing the title to be invalid, did you take
any steps to warn them?"

"A United States Senator, I assure you, young man, has other and more
important duties than nursing the petty interests of persons stupid
enough to purchase land without seeing it. In fact, it might be
considered a duty not to interfere. For the welfare of the country, it
is desirable, in fact, that such money as such helpless persons may
possess be transferred to the possession of the shrewd energetic men
who constitute the vital portion of our population."

"Bravo, bravo!" rumbled Garman, applauding. "Senator, I congratulate
you on your logic. Payne, there's the philosophy of our era in a
nutshell. Now let us hear how star-eyed youth, inspired by ideals,
controverts the wisdom of the togoed sage? Annette, dear!" he roared.
"Come out! Come out and have some sport!"

"Miss Annette is not in the house," responded a maid.

"What? She was a minute ago."

"She is not now."

"All right. Too bad; wish you could see her, Payne. She's changed.
She's grown up now. Senator, it just occurred to me: Annette is
rapidly becoming her father's daughter."

"Well, young man," said Fairclothe complacently. "Have you anything
more to say to me?"

"I'm going to keep that land, Garman," said Roger, ignoring the
Senator. "Going to keep it in spite of all your tools, whether they're
city gangsters, United States Senators, or"--with a glance at the
stranger--"your deputy sheriffs."

"Senator!" cried Garman in mock horror. "He slanders the honor of your
sacred office!"

"Better keep a-hold of your tongue, young feller," warned the deputy.
"I'm a little