stare so at dat door yet? Where's Champers?" Hans Wyker
demanded as he came in.

"The game's between us two now," Thomas Smith declared, turning to Hans
Wyker.

And a grim game was plotted then and there. Hans, who had been a perpetual
law-breaker since the loss of his brewery business, had let his hatred of
John Jacobs grow to a virulent poison in his system. While Thomas Smith,
whose character Darley Champers had read truly, followed so many wrong
paths down the years that conscience and manhood were strangers to him.
From being a financier he had dropped to the employment of a brewers'
association. His commission was to tempt young men and boys to drink; to
create appetites that should build up the brewing business for the future.
In the game now, Smith was to deliver beer and whisky into Wyker's hands.
Wyker would do the rest. Whoever opposed him must suffer for his
rashness.

It was cooler in the large dining-room where Thaine Aydelot and Leigh
Shirley had met by chance at noontime. Leigh's face wore a deeper bloom
and her eyes were shining with the exciting events of the day: the going
of Pryor Gaines and the business that had brought her to Wykerton.
Something like pain stabbed suddenly into Thaine Aydelot's mind as he
caught sight of her, a surprise to find how daintily attractive she was in
her cool summer gown of pale blue gingham and her becoming hat with its
broad brim above her brown-gold hair.

"I didn't expect to find you here," Leigh said as Thaine took the chair
opposite her at the little table.

"I came over to Little Wolf with Rosie Gimpke and some other colts. Then I
walked over here to catch a ride to Careyville, if I could," Thaine said
carelessly.

"You can ride with me if you want to. I'll be going soon after dinner,"
Leigh suggested.

"Oh, I'll want to all right. It may be well to start early. It's so hot I
expect there'll be a storm before night," Thaine suggested, wondering the
while what Leigh's business in Wykerton might be.

Darley Champers was in a fever when he came from his conference with
Thomas Smith. Smith had played large sums into his hands in the first
years of their partnership. Of late the sums had all gone the other way.
But Champers was entangled enough to know that he must raise the money
required, and the land was the only asset. Few things are more difficult
to accomplish than to find a buyer for what must be sold.

At the office Leigh was waiting for him. "Mr. C