, and the debt never grows less. If it
wasn't for my mother and Faith ... but I must go on paying. I killed
your brother----"

"No," she denied, "that was an accident for which you were no more to
blame than he was: but you are killing me."

Lidgerwood stood by, man-like, because he did not know enough to vanish.
But Miss Brewster suddenly swept down the compartment to drag him out of
the way of those who did not need him.

"You'd spoil it all, if you could, wouldn't you?" she whispered, in a
fine feminine rage; "and after I have moved heaven and earth to get
Miriam to come out here for this one special blessed moment! Go and
drive the others into a corner, and keep them there."

Lidgerwood obeyed, quite meekly; and when he looked again, Dawson had
gone, and Miss Holcombe was sobbing comfortably in Eleanor's arms.

Judson boarded the service-car when it was pulled up to the switch; and
after Lidgerwood had disposed of his passengers for the run back to
Angels, he listened to the ex-engineer's report, sitting quietly while
Judson told him of the plot and of the plotters. At the close he said
gravely: "You are sure it was Hallock who got off of the night train at
Silver Switch and went up the old spur?"

It was a test question, and the engineer did not answer it off-hand.

"I'd say yes in a holy minute if there wasn't so blamed much else tied
on to it, Mr. Lidgerwood. I was sure, at the time, that it was Hallock;
and besides, I heard him talking to Flemister afterward, and I saw his
mug shadowed out on the window curtain, just as I've been telling you.
All I can say crosswise, is that I didn't get to see him face to face
anywhere; in the gulch, or in the office, or in the mine, or any place
else."

"Yet you are convinced, in your own mind?"

"I am."

"You say you saw him and Flemister get on the hand-car and pump
themselves down the old spur; of course, you couldn't identify either of
them from the top of the ridge?"

"That's a guess," admitted the ex-engineer frankly. "All I could see
was that there were two men on the car. But it fits in pretty good: I
hear 'em plannin' what-all they're going to do; foller 'em a good bit
more'n half-way through the mine tunnel; hike back and hump myself over
the hill, and get there in time to see two men--_some_ two men--rushin'
out the hand-car to go somewhere. That ain't court evidence, maybe, but
I've seen more'n one jury that'd hang both of 'em on it."

"But the third