h you. Please let me in!"

He waited. The man inside did not move or speak. "I'm coming in there,
Britt, even if I have to kick this door down."

But the threat did not produce any results. Vaniman stepped back and
drove his foot against the panel, but not with enough force to break the
lock. His kick was in the way of admonition. After a few moments Britt
opened the door; he had an iron poker in his hand. Vaniman marched in.
"You don't need any weapon, sir."

"I think I do, judging from the way you came rushing into this building.
Vaniman, I protest. I have said my say to your attorney. I have nothing
more to add."

"I'm not here to try the case, Mr. Britt. I'll confess that I did not
intend to waste my breath in talking with you. But I could not resist
the feeling that came over me a few moments ago." He was standing just
inside the door. He closed it. "You informed Squire Hexter that you
intend to tell the truth at the trial. That's all right! I hope so. I
have no criticism to offer on that point. But there's a matter of man's
business between us two, and it belongs here rather than in a courtroom.
Do you intend to tell the truth about how you framed me?"

"I don't understand what you mean," returned Britt, stiffly.

"I'll put it so that you can't help understanding, sir. You rigged a
plan to have me sleep in the bank nights."

"That was your own suggestion. You asked to be allowed to sleep here."

"You intend to say that in your testimony, do you?"

Britt took a firm hold on the poker. "I most certainly do."

"You cooked up an excuse to send me off on a wild-goose chase in the
night."

"I know nothing about your going anywhere in the night--except that
Files's hostler is saying that you hired a hitch for some purpose."

Vaniman knew that appeal and protest would be futile--realizing the full
extent of Britt's effrontery. However, in his amazement he began to rail
at the president.

Britt broke in on the anathema. "I was not nigh the bank that night.
I was asleep in my own house. You'd better not try any such ridiculous
story in court--it will spoil any defense Hexter may manage to put up
for you. Vaniman, it's plain enough why you hired that hitch! Why don't
you tell where you hauled that money?"

"I'm not going to do to you what I ought to do, Britt. I'm into the hole
deep enough as it is! But let me ask you if any jury is going to believe
that I was lunatic enough to hire a livery hitch, if I was h