inquired pleasantly.

"Yes," Harry nodded.

"May I make myself known?" asked the stranger. "My name is Danes--Frank
Danes."

Harry in turn gave his own name and that of Tom.

"I wonder if you would think it intruding if I invited myself to join
you at this table?" the stranger went on.

"By no means," Tom responded cordially. "We'll be glad of your company.
It will stop Hazelton and myself from talking too much shop."

"Oh, by all means talk shop," begged Danes, as he slipped into a chair
at one side of the table. "I shall enjoy it, for I am interested in
you both. In fact, I took the liberty of asking the waiter to point you
gentlemen out to me."

"So?" Tom inquired.

Danes had the appearance of being a well-to-do easterner, and announced
himself as a resident of Baltimore.

For some minutes the three chatted pleasantly, Harry, however, doing
most of the talking for the engineers. When Tom spoke it was generally
to put some question.

"Do you ever permit visitors to go out to the Man-killer?" Danes
inquired toward the end of the meal.

"Sometimes," Tom answered.

"I shall be very grateful if you will accord me that privilege."

"We shall be very glad to invite you out there some time," Tom answered
pleasantly.

"To-day?" pressed the stranger. "I have nothing to do this afternoon."

"Some other day would suit better, if you can arrange it conveniently,"
Reade suggested, as he rose.

Then they left Danes, securing their horses and riding back over the
scorching desert.

"How do you like Danes?" Harry asked, after they had ridden some
distance. "He seems a very pleasant fellow."

"Very pleasant," Tom nodded.

"Why didn't you let him come along?"

"Because I don't like Danes' employers."

"His employers?" Harry repeated, puzzled.

"Yes; he is employed by the Colthwaite Company."

"What?" Hazelton started in astonishment. "How do you know that, Tom?"

"I don't know it, but I'm sure of it, just the same," was Reade's
answer.

"It maybe so," Harry agreed. "What makes you suspect him?"

"Well, in the first place, Danes, if that's his name--said he hailed
from Baltimore. Yet he had none of that soft, delightful southern accent
that you and I have noticed in the voices of real southern men. Danes
uses two or three words, at times, that are distinctly Chicago slang.
Moreover, I'm certain that the man knows a good deal about engineering
work, though he won't admit it."

"We'll have to watch him