ect its the damned heat. Anyhow she's
Bear Cat Stacy's gal!"

As Jerry sat alone he was, quite unconsciously, affording a theme of
conversation for two fellow clubmen in the billiard-room.

"I see Jerry Henderson has reappeared in our midst," commented one. "I
wonder what titanic enterprise is engaging his genius just now."

"Give it up," was the laconic reply. "But whatever it is, I'm ready to
wager he'll emerge from it unscathed and that everybody who backs him
will be ruined. That's the history of his buccaneer activities up to
date."

"What's his secret? Why don't his creditors fall on him and destroy
him?" inquired the first speaker and his companion yawned.

"It's the damned charm of the fellow, I suppose. He could hypnotize the
Shah of Persia into Calvinism."

For a moment the speakers fell silent, watching a shot on the
pool-table, then one of them spoke with languid interest.

"Whatever we may think of our friend Henderson, he's a picturesque
figure, and he's running a most diverting race. He's always just a jump
behind a billion dollars and just a jump ahead of the wolf and the
constable."

While this conversation proceeded, a heavy-set and elderly gentleman,
with determined eyes, entered the club. It was President Wallace of the
C. and S-E Railways, and palpably something was on his mind.

Glancing in at the reading-room, and seeing Henderson there, he
promptly disposed himself in a heavily cushioned chair at his side and
inquired:

"Well, what have you to report?"

"Very little so far," rejoined Henderson with his suavest smile. "You
see, there's a man up there who has an annoying capacity for seeing
into things and through things. On the day of my arrival he put his
finger on my actual purpose in coming."

"You mean Kinnard Towers, I presume." The railroad president drummed
thoughtfully on the table-top with his fingers. "I was afraid he would
try to hold us up."

Jerry nodded. "He pretends to be unalterably opposed to innovation, but
I fancy he really wants to be let in on the ground floor. He has
decided that unless he shares our loot, there is to be no plundering."

"Possibly," the railroad magnate spoke thoughtfully, "we'd better meet
his terms. The damned outlaw has power up there and we stand to win--or
lose--a little empire of wealth."

Henderson's closed fist fell softly but very firmly on the table. His
tone was smooth and determined. "Please leave me in command for a
while, Mr.