It may have been lack of interest. Yet neither of
these suggested the reality.

"Well, it all sounds crazy enough, Allenwood, and I admit if Belton or
Syme had told me the yarn I'd have sent 'em on leave to get a rest.
But--anyway you've handed me a good report and it's gone on down to the
Department without a word altered, and only my own comment added,
which," he went on with smiling goodwill, "I don't guess I need to tell
you about. Meanwhile I'd not be surprised if you hear things. Your
seniority runs high. And this should hand you a jump--"

Steve shook his head.

"I'm not yearning, sir," he said. "But I need to thank you for your
comments without seeing them. I can guess how they run--knowing you."

The Superintendent's eyes had suddenly become seriously searching.

"Not yearning? How--d'you mean?" he demanded.

A slight smile lit Steve's eyes at the abrupt change in the other's
tone.

"You said just now if Belton or Syme had told you my yarn you'd have
handed them leave--for a rest. I'd be glad for you to include my name
with theirs."

"You want leave?"

Steve nodded.

"I'd be glad to have six months' leave pending resignation."

"But--resignation? You want to quit? You?"

McDowell was startled completely out of all official attitude. Such a
thing as Allenwood's resignation from the force had never for a moment
entered his thoughts. It would have been simply unthinkable.

"Yes." Steve was very deliberate. He picked up one of the letters at his
side and tapped it with a forefinger.

"It's this, sir," he said. "You can read this, and--the others. I'd be
glad for you to take them away with you and read them, and then attach
them to my papers asking for my discharge. These letters were waiting me
here, and there's quite a number. They're from my father's attorneys.
You see, sir, he's dead, and I'm his heir. It's only a matter of some
fifty thousand dollars and his farm in Ontario. But I'll have to get
around and fix things."

"Oh, I'm sor--I see," McDowell had recovered from surprise, and promptly
saw his advantage. "But resignation, Steve," he cried, dropping into an
unusual familiarity. "Where's the need? You can get twelve months'
leave, if necessary, to straighten these things out. After that you'll
get back to us a Superintendent, and with money to burn. If you quit
you'll be pitching away years of big work. You'll be sacrificing more.
With means like your father's left you you can get into po