k you what papers you mean, without roiling the
water any more than it's already been roiled, son?"

"You may ask and I'll answer, if you'll let me say that it is hardly
worth while for you to spar with me to gain time. I had certain
documents--letters--which would have enabled me to come through clean
with my own people--with the railroad management. You knew I had them;
I was imprudent enough to boast of it one evening when we were dining
together in your rooms. I know what I'm talking about, dad, when I make
this demand of you. One of my clerks has been tampered with. Three days
ago, when I asked him to bring me the letters from the safe, he brought
me, instead, a packet of blank paper which he allowed me to go and lock
up in my safety-box in the Sierra National. I don't know why you had the
safe blown up, unless it was to save Collins's face."

Again a silence intervened, and in the midst of it the senator sat up
and began to feel half-absently in his pockets for a cigar. Blount
offered his own pocket-case, following it with the tender of a lighted
match. With the cigar going, the Honorable David settled back in the
deep chair, chuckling thoughtfully.

"They wrote me from back yonder on the Eastern edge of things that you
had the makings of a mighty fine lawyer in you, boy, and I'll be
switched if I don't believe they had it about right. The way you've
trailed this thing out doesn't leave the old man a hole as big as a
dog-burrow to crawl out of, does it, now? Reckon you've sure-enough got
to have those papers back before you can go on, do you?"

"You know I must. You know what I've been preaching and talking: I have
meant every word of it in good faith, and when I began to doubt the good
faith of those behind me, I was forced to cast about for a weapon. It
was handed to me almost miraculously, and as long as I held it my good
name before the people of the State was safe. As the matter stands now,
I'm a broken man, dad. After the election I shall be billeted from one
end of the State to the other as the most shameless liar that ever
breathed!"

The senator was rocking his great head slowly upon the chair-pillow.
"That's bad; that's mighty bad, son. I reckon we'll have to fix some way
to trail you out of that bog-hole, sure enough!"

"I'm not asking for help; I'm asking for bare justice. Give me those
papers and I'll fight myself clear."

"And if I say I can't give 'em to you, Evan, boy, what then?"

"Then,