You're land buyers?"

"Yes, I've invested in a big tract way up the river."

"You're going up to-day?"

"Yes."

"Then--are you going right back after seeing your land--like the
others?"

"I plan to develop that land--if it is anything like what it was
represented."

Her manner changed. She grew thoughtful.

"Whom did you buy your land from--if it isn't too impertinent?"

"From Senator Fairclothe's company."

"From Senator----! Why, that's----" she stopped.

"Tell me, please; how was that land represented?"

"Prairie land. Soil reports and surveys were furnished. I discounted
them fifty per cent, and still thought it a good investment."

"Did the fact that--Senator Fairclothe recommended the land influence
you?"

"Why, certainly. He's a United States Senator."

She turned swiftly toward the Egret, but not swiftly enough to hide the
flush that rushed to her cheeks.

"I hope--I do hope you are not disappointed," she said.

Her laughter of a moment before, penetrating to the cabin of the Egret,
had brought a tall, thin woman, the sun glinting on the diamond
pendants in her ears, out from a stateroom forward.

"Ah, my dear Annette!"

"Aunty! You awake so early?"

"The climate has made me young. Come aboard, dear. We sail at once."

The girl hesitated. Her tone was indefinable as she asked: "Is--Mr.
Garman----?"

"He's up at his place, and his boat is at our disposal. Come, dear;
come inside. The mornings are damp in spite of their gorgeous beauty."

The girl looked back at Payne from the door of the stateroom. One
glance. He tried in vain to fathom it. Then she disappeared.

A few minutes later the Egret's softly purring engines were edging her
away from the pier, when:

"Cormorant, ahoy!" called a man from her engine room.

"Hey?" responded a gruff voice from a shack on shore.

"Got that extra drum of gasoline there?"

"Yep."

"Bring it up on the Cormorant when you come."

"Aw-right."

The Egret was well away from shore now. Her sharp white bow cleaved
the blue water of the way with slow, irresistible power. Her speed
increased. In a few minutes twin waves of blue were curling away from
her cutwater as, smoothly and swiftly, she raced across the bay and out
of sight round the first bend of the wide mouthed Chokohatchee River.

Roger Payne stood looking up the river long after the boat was out of
sight. He was in a daze; but he was very glad that he, too, was going